Colombia captain and ex-Real Madrid star James Rodriguez has joined Mexico's Club Leon after a brief and unsuccessful stint with La Liga side Rayo Vallecano, the clubs announced on Monday.

The former Bayern Munich and Monaco playmaker joined Rayo for free at the start of the season but only made six league appearances for the Madrid club, which wished him "the best of luck".

Club Leon unveiled the transfer with a dramatic video in which an AI-generated Rodriguez plays a fleet-footed Roman gladiator adulated by a roaring crowd.

The 33-year-old greeted his new fans in a brief video announcing he was already in Mexico "with a lot of enthusiasm, with lots of excitement".

Rodriguez was player of the tournament as Colombia finished runners-up in last year's Copa America and won the Golden Boot at the 2014 World Cup.

He lifted two La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues with Real Madrid and won two Bundesliga trophies during a loan spell at Bayern.