The match between Santos Laguna and León, corresponding to matchday 11 of the Clausura 2025, was surrounded by controversy after a goal from Colombian striker James Rodríguez was disallowed, which could have meant an advantage for the emerald team.
It was the 25th minute of the first half when the 33-year-old midfielder evaded a player from the Torreón team and then passed the ball to his teammate Stiven Mendoza, who delivered a dangerous cross from the left flank that James connected with his left foot. The goal from the Colombian national team player drove the attendees at the TSM wild; however, despite the excitement, the referee decided to invalidate the goal for offside after an exhaustive review in VAR.
James Rodríguez's presence in the Comarca Lagunera ignited the euphoria of his supporters, filling the Santos stadium even though the team is in the lowest position in the standings. Hours before the match between the Warriors and the Beast, dozens of people gathered at the Esmeraldas' concentration hotel hoping to get a photo or autograph from the Colombian star. Seeing the crowd of fans, James paused for a moment to attend to them.
It is important to highlight that James Rodríguez has been a key player in León's resurgence, leaders of the Clausura 2025. Since his arrival in Mexican football, the Colombian has participated in nine matches, scoring two goals and providing four assists.
