James returns to MLS team Minnesota following hospital stay

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Colombian star James Rodríguez, who was admitted to the hospital last week due to severe dehydration, returned to his MLS team Minnesota United FC on Monday to continue his preparation for game readiness.

The club announced that Rodríguez arrived at the training facility for a monitored return-to-activity session. His reintegration into full team training will be closely overseen by the club’s medical personnel.

Rodríguez represented Colombia’s national team in a friendly match against France on March 29, when he first exhibited symptoms of dehydration. He was hospitalized two days later for ongoing observation and IV fluid treatment. Following his discharge after a three-day hospital stay, Rodríguez has been recuperating at home under continued medical supervision, according to the team.

Minnesota United stated that its medical team “can unequivocally confirm there has been no clinical or laboratory indication of rhabdomyolysis,” which is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition where muscles can break down due to overexertion or other factors.

The Colombian Football Federation released a statement last week indicating a positive outlook for Rodríguez’s recovery and progress. Colombia’s first match in the World Cup is scheduled for June 17 against Uzbekistan.

Rodríguez rose to international fame during the 2014 World Cup, where he earned the Golden Boot award as the tournament’s top scorer with six goals in five matches. He subsequently joined Real Madrid in Spain, where he spent six seasons with the LaLiga giant, and also had tenures with Bayern Munich in Germany’s Bundesliga and Everton in the English Premier League.

Since joining Minnesota United two months ago, Rodríguez has participated in only two of the six matches with the team.