The 35-year-old confirmed the decision on social media on Tuesday, closing the book on a journey that began in October 2011 under coach Leonel Álvarez and concluded at this year's World Cup, where Colombia were eliminated by Switzerland on penalties in the last 16.
"Today I want to speak to you from the heart," Rodríguez said in an emotional farewell video. "After many years, many matches, many joys and also difficult moments, I feel the time has come to close one of the most important chapters of my life, my journey with the Colombia national team. Wearing this shirt was a dream, but also an enormous responsibility.
"Every time I stepped onto a pitch, I understood I wasn't playing only for myself. I was playing for my family, my teammates, thousands of Colombians who dreamed alongside all of us."
Rodríguez leaves as Colombia's most-capped player of all time, with 131 appearances, and the country's second-highest scorer with 31 goals, behind only Radamel Falcao's 36. According to AS, he also finishes as the side's all-time leading assist provider, with 43. He was the top scorer at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where his six goals included a Puskás Award-winning volley against Uruguay, and went on to feature at three World Cups and four Copa América tournaments, reaching the final of the 2024 edition.
"Since I arrived at the national team I had one very clear thought: that the day I left, I could feel I was leaving this shirt higher than I found it," Rodríguez said. "I wanted to contribute, to leave a mark and help Colombia believe it could compete with anyone. Today, looking back at the road travelled, I feel I achieved that. It wasn't mine alone, it belonged to an entire generation, many teammates and a whole country that dreamed big again."
He also paid tribute to those closest to him, including his two children.
"I want to thank my family, they were behind every match, every joy and every difficult moment," he said. "Especially my children, Salomé and Samuel - I played for them many times. When I was tired, when there was pressure, when things weren't going the way I wanted, thinking of them always gave me one more reason to keep going. I always wanted them to feel proud of their father, not just for the goals or the trophies, but for having defended their country with love, respect and commitment."
Rodríguez will now focus on his new club project at Atlético Nacional, where he signed a contract until June 2027 wearing the number 23 shirt, with the Colombian Primera División title and a strong Copa Libertadores campaign among the club's stated objectives built around him.