Once at Real Madrid and Bayern: James Rodríguez lands new club | OneFootball

Minnesota United FC has signed James Rodríguez, the club announced on Friday. The 34-year-old midfielder and captain of the Colombian national team is under contract until June 2026, with an option until December 2026.

Rodríguez, who is joining in the summer ahead of the 2026 World Cup, will not occupy a Designated Player roster spot. Previously, he was without a club.

"James is a player whose quality, vision, and experience at the highest level are undisputed. We are very excited to bring his creativity and football intelligence to our team. At the same time, this transfer is about collective strength—not about focusing everything on a single person," said Khaled El-Ahmad, Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director of Minnesota.

"We believe that James can add an important additional dimension to the team within our structure and culture. Our focus is on integrating him in the right way and ensuring that he contributes in a way that benefits the entire group. We are convinced that together we can create something sustainable for our community, the club, and our fans."

Rodríguez gained international fame at the 2014 World Cup when he won the Golden Boot with six goals and led Colombia to the quarter-finals.

This breakthrough performance paved the way for a spectacular move to Real Madrid in July 2014. Rodríguez also played for Bayern Munich, FC Porto, and Everton FC, among others. In a total of 516 competitive club matches, he scored 127 goals and provided 161 assists.

Most recently, Rodríguez was under contract with Club León in LIGA MX, where he scored five goals in 34 competitive matches.

With 31 goals and 41 assists in 122 international matches, he is Colombia's second-highest scorer of all time and is set to lead his country as captain at the 2026 World Cup.

"I am very happy about this new chapter in my life," said Rodríguez. "I hope to reach my best form to bring joy to this city and all the people who put their trust in me.

I look forward to meeting the passionate fans in Minnesota, as I am a passionate player myself who always wants to give everything on the field and always wants to win."

Rodríguez is the highlight of a comprehensive roster restructuring in the offseason for the Loons, which also includes striker Tomás Chancalay and goalkeeper Drake Callender.

Midfielder Joaquín Pereyra, striker Kelvin Yeboah, midfielder Nectarios Triantis, and defender Michael Boxall are key returnees from the Minnesota team that set a club record with 58 points in 2025.

Under the leadership of new head coach Cameron Knowles, Minnesota United will start its 2026 season on February 21 away at Austin FC.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 Jordan Bank - 2025 Getty Images