James Rodríguez joins Minnesota United with World Cup mindset | OneFootball

By Charles Boehm

On first glance, it felt unexpected and incongruous, like glimpsing a flamingo in Canada or a caribou in lower Manhattan.

The images of James Rodríguez posing in Minnesota United FC’s ice-blue ‘Convergence’ kit, itself a tribute to the North Star State’s beloved, frigid rivers, are the real deal, though – no AI fakes here.

The Colombian superstar No. 10 stood before a packed room of reporters on Friday, announcing with a smile his intention to lead the Loons to new heights as MNUFC’s newest reinforcement, and probably their biggest-ever signing.

“I am very happy about this new stage in my life,” said James in Spanish. “I've played at big clubs, in good clubs, but I wanted this league. I wanted to be able to play here, and well, when the chance came to be with this great club, everything was a little slow, but it happened. We made efforts on both sides.

“I'm going to do well, the team will do well too, and we're going to win things. Until the last day, I'm going to give my all for the people who trusted in me, more than anything else.”

Big-name signing

Whether this headline-making hookup blossoms into a longer-term relationship remains to be seen. His contract runs through June, right up until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a club option to extend it through December and contemplate a shared future down the road.

“The way I look at this is, you go into a relationship where everything is possible, where as long as you have an honest conversation between club and player, there are so many things that can happen in between,” explained Minnesota chief soccer officer and sporting director Khaled El-Ahmad.

“We're super excited, and we look up to the World Cup, then we have the conversation with the ability to extend it.”

Either way, James represents yet another globally-renowned luminary touching down in MLS, and he recognizes what that represents.

“I played with [Vancouver Whitecaps FC's] Thomas [Müller] for two years at Bayern Munich; I get along very well with him and we've understood each other both on and off the field,” said Rodríguez when asked about the league’s constellation of stars.

“You always want to play against the best, against those who play well, against those who compete well, too, because in the world of football, when you compete and you want to succeed, you always want to be there. So, it's going to be great to face them, and I always hope to win, to beat them all.”

Surprise destination

With his blend of quality and charisma, the vibrant playmaker has long been seen as a prime target for MLS. Yet few would have guessed this flashy icon with tropical roots, forever associated with stellar performances on the FIFA World Cup stage, would land in chilly Minnesota. Pragmatic MNUFC’s incumbent game model is ‘Stoke City on a rainy Tuesday with flashes of Liverpool,’ in the wisecracking words of El-Ahmad, based on stingy defense and muscular set pieces, most notably via the long throw-ins of Michael Boxall.

Minnesota’s chief soccer officer could not resist cracking another joke or two at the contrasts.

Asked if Rodríguez would suit up at next week’s Coachella Valley Invitational preseason tournament, where the Loons will play Sporting Kansas City, D.C. United and Charlotte FC in California’s sunny Inland Empire, El-Ahmad remarked: "We wanted to travel tomorrow, but James wanted to participate in the polar plunge,” referring to the region’s tradition of invigorating winter dips that have become a popular fundraiser for charitable causes.

“He's never experienced swimming in ice water.”

In a more serious moment, he suggested the Real Madrid and Bayern Munich alum is, in fact, a natural fit for a Loons side keen to shift towards a more proactive style following the departure of previous head coach Eric Ramsay to West Bromwich Albion, with assistant Cameron Knowles stepping up to the hot seat.

“That addition of quality that James can bring to Minnesota, with the technical, the creativity and also the experience, is actually a pretty good blend as we’re evolving,” said El-Ahmad.

“The traits that we have will also help James. If you actually look at the Colombian national team, they're somewhat pragmatic; they have fast players, they do want to press. And I think that addition is actually a good contribution to what we're doing.

“We're both very excited for him to meet the team and start training and see how that kind of evolves together.”

Colombian legend

James is also aware of the joy he can bring to the Twin Cities’ loyal soccer community, which far predates the club's 2017 MLS expansion season.

“I hope to be able to help many people feel happy,” said the 34-year-old, who was greeted by spirited applause as he took the dais at the press conference. “I always live for this football; it's something I love, that I do with a lot of passion, with a lot of enthusiasm.

“I see that you have a lot of passion and enthusiasm, and well, I have that too,” he added. “Without passion, we are nothing."