Now playing in Mexico with Leon, the Colombian veteran has recalled his time with Real Madrid.
Speaking on Edu Aguirre's Los Amigos de Edu, James first discussed his initial move to Real: "During the World Cup, (agent) Jorge Mendes told me that Real Madrid wanted me.
"He warned me and said, 'Don't lose focus, okay,' and that gave me more strength. Right after that was the game against Japan, when I came on and scored a goal, then against Uruguay I scored two goals. When he told me that, it gave me more strength. I was 22 years old and I said, 'Now I have to play better', and that's when I got the World Cup Golden Boot."
He continued: "(Manchester) City and PSG also wanted me. They offered me a lot of money, very high salaries compared to those being paid right now, but I chose Madrid because Florentino (Perez, president) called me and said: 'Glory or silverware?' I've always been a Real Madrid fan, Real Madrid is Real Madrid.
"When I arrived in Madrid I thought: 'How am I going to talk to Ramos, Karim, Modric, Cristiano or Iker?' But I arrived and they were all very calm, as if they had played in the neighborhood.
"Florentino Pérez has always treated me well. I haven't spoken to him for a long time, but I think I've always been one of his favourites. He told me: 'What a shame,' when I left for Bayern. I arrived when (Carlo) Ancelotti arrived; Kroos, Isco, Benzema and Bale were in the team, and I thought he wouldn't start me in the first game because I had only trained for five days and he started me; I played 60 minutes.”
Later in the interview, James was asked if he or Zinedine Zidane was the better player.
"Zidane was very good, in his prime he won the World Cup, but... James."
Similarly, he also considered himself better than Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Xavi Hernández.
"In my prime, James," he said.