James Rodriguez: Colombia Issue Statement as Minnesota United Ace Rushed To Hospital

(Back row L-R) Scotland’s midfielder #08 Billy Gilmour, Scotland’s striker #18 George Hirst, Scotland’s midfielder #04 Scott McTominay, Scotland’s defender #15 John Souttar, Scotland’s goalkeeper #12 Liam Kelly and Scotland’s defender Dominic Hyam, (Front row L-R) Scotland’s defender #06 Kieran Tierney, Scotland’s forward #10 Che Adams, Scotland’s forward #11 Ryan Christie, Scotland’s defender #03 Andrew Robertson and Scotland’s midfielder #16 Ross McCrorie pose for a team photo ahead of the friendly international football match between Scotland and Ivory Coast at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, north west England on March 31, 2026. (Photo by PETER POWELL / AFP via Getty Images)

Byadmin
April 3, 2026

With just 69 days remaining before the 2026 World Cup, concerns have emerged among Colombia supporters after James Rodríguez was recently hospitalised, spending 72 hours under medical observation.
Colombia have been drawn in Group K, where they will face Uzbekistan, DR Congo, and Portugal as they aim to progress to the knockout stages. After missing out on 2022 FIFA World Cup, they’ll be eager to build on previous successes, having reached the round of 16 in 2018 and the quarter-finals in 2014.
Rodríguez, now playing for Minnesota United FC, first rose to global prominence at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where he won the Golden Boot with six goals in five matches. At 34, he will be hoping to make another major impact when the tournament kicks off across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
As part of their preparations, Colombia recently played friendlies against Croatia and France in the U.S., losing 2–1 and 3–1 respectively, with Rodríguez featuring for 63 minutes in both matches. However, following the clash with France—played in 26-degree heat—he showed signs of severe dehydration.
In an official statement, the Colombian Football Federation confirmed that Rodríguez was admitted to a medical facility in Minnesota, where he remained under observation for three days as a precaution. They stressed that the issue was not related to any injury or football activity and reported that he is now recovering well, with steady improvement.
The midfielder is now expected to miss Minnesota United’s upcoming MLS fixture against LA Galaxy, as both club and national team medical staff coordinate his recovery and manage his workload.
Rodríguez, who has previously played for clubs such as Porto, Monaco, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Everton, only joined Minnesota United earlier this year and has made limited appearances so far.
Despite the recent setback, he recently expressed excitement about Colombia’s return to the World Cup, noting that hosting the tournament in North America is a positive for his country, as Colombian fans tend to turn stadiums yellow with their support. He also described the competition as a special occasion for the host nations and a spectacle fans should fully enjoy.