James Rodríguez set to shine in MLS ahead of Colombia’s World Cup bid
James Rodríguez has joined Minnesota United in the most unexpected move made by any team before the 2026 MLS season.
Major League Soccer clubs had long coveted James Rodríguez. Indeed, the Colombian was linked with American teams for years. It always seemed possible that he would one day play in MLS. Few, however, ever envisaged that he would play for Minnesota United. Nobody had that on their bingo card for the 2026 season.
Inter Miami might have been a more obvious landing spot. Rodríguez would have been an attraction to South Florida’s massive Colombian and Latino population. Alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, the former Galactico also would have added to Inter Miami’s reputation as the most marketable team in MLS.
Los Angeles was another destination James appeared to suit. Even Houston, with its population of approximately 40,000 Colombians, would have made some sense. Minnesota, however, will be a culture shock, both in terms of its climate and the stature of the club he has joined.
It could work, though. Minnesota United are attempting to reset their playing style following two seasons of stodgy, conservative football under Eric Ramsay who left the club last month to take over at West Brom. Last season, the Loons ranked last in MLS for average possession share and relied on set pieces to pose an attacking threat.
With Ramsay at the helm, Minnesota finished fourth in the Western Conference and came within a penalty shootout of reaching the conference semi-finals. His departure, however, presents a chance to change. Minnesota fans expect to see a team more willing and able to play on the front foot this season. The signing of James will help them do that.
For Rodríguez, this is a move with one eye firmly on the summer. The 34-year-old remains a key figure for Colombia and needed a team to keep the engine ticking over before the World Cup. At Minnesota, Rodriguez will at least have some freedom to dictate his own playing time ahead of the tournament. He won’t run himself into the ground at the risk of his national team place.
Rodríguez hasn’t played a lot of club football recently. Indeed, he featured in just 14 Liga MX games for León last season and 17 the season before. At Rayo Vallecano, the attacking midfielder played just six times and had his contract terminated after only four months. He also missed more games than he played over two seasons for São Paulo.
It’s been four seasons since Rodríguez last played 20 games or more in a single campaign – for Olympiacos in the 2022/23 season when he registered eight goal contributions. If Minnesota can get that level of output from their new signing this whole endeavour will have been worth it.
If Rodríguez settles quickly as a key player for Minnesota, there’s every chance he will prolong his stay beyond the World Cup. The Loons have managed to land Rodríguez on a non-Designated Player contract that is widely speculated to include a clause to extend until the end of the season.
The 2026 MLS season promises to be fascinating. Inter Miami have responded to losing Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets at the end of 2025 by signing left back Sergio Reguilón, Goalkeeper of the Year Dayne St. Clair and Mexican international forward Germán Berterame. The MLS Cup winners have ramped up the ambition once more.
Los Angeles FC’s frontline of Denis Bouanga and Son Heung-min can blow away any opposition defence while the Vancouver Whitecaps have kept together the core of the team that surprised everyone last season by making it all the way to the MLS Cup final. Thomas Müller and co. will be a threat in 2026.
San Diego, Philadelphia, FC Cincinnati, Seattle and several other sides all have good reason to believe 2026 will be a successful season. There is quality throughout MLS that could rise to the top this year and Minnesota United have thrust themselves into the discussion by making a signing few would have predicted.
That Rodríguez was willing to join a club not normally considered a glamour franchise is a positive sign for MLS. Timo Werner did something similar by signing for the San Jose Earthquakes. A broader spread of talent across MLS can only be a good thing for the growth of the league as a whole, if only to get fans talking about more teams.
Rodríguez in Minnesota is an oddity, but a welcome one. There is an upside for everyone involved – Rodríguez has a place to prepare for the World Cup, Minnesota have a player capable of producing moments of magic and MLS has another talking point. As long as he wraps up warm, this could work.
(Images from IMAGO)
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