James Rodríguez (35) has joined Minnesota United. He is expected to become one of the star players representing Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States alongside Son Heung-min (34, LAFC).
Minnesota announced on the 7th (Korea time) through the club's website, "We have signed Colombian national team captain James Rodríguez. The club has signed attacking midfielder James to a guaranteed contract through June 2026, with a club option through December 2026," the club said in an official announcement.
Khaled El-Ahmad, sporting director, welcomed him, saying, "There is no doubt James is a player with experience, skill and vision at the highest level. We are very pleased to add his creativity and football intelligence to our group. Also, this acquisition is not about relying on one individual for everything but about the strength of the whole collective."
The Minnesota club introduced him, saying, "James is a legendary Colombian international and one of the most famous players in world football. He joins the team after spending one season with Liga MX club León. Before playing for León, James starred at highly regarded clubs in world football such as Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, AS Monaco and Everton."
Now James begins a new challenge on the U.S. stage. He said on joining, "I am very happy to open a new chapter of my life," and added, "I want to show my best so I can bring joy to this city and to everyone who believes in me."
James also left a greeting, saying, "I look forward to meeting the passionate Minnesota fans. I will give everything on the pitch because I am a passionate player who always wants to win."
With this, MLS has welcomed another superstar. MLS noted, "Colombia's superstar James is officially a Minnesota player," and highlighted, "James joins Minnesota, which was one of the top teams in the league in 2025, and is expected to contend for the championship trophy again in 2026."
That much, James is a 'big-name' signing. He joined Monaco in 2013 for a huge fee of 45 million euros (about 77.9 billion won) and rose to World Cup stardom by scoring six goals at the 2014 Brazil World Cup. Since then James has remained popular for his handsome looks and flashy play, starring for Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Everton and Olympiacos, among others.
James, who had continued a journeyman career, recently played for Mexican club León, but his contract ended after one year. While looking for his next team, he accepted Minnesota's offer and will once again compete in a new league. Minnesota, which finished fourth in the Western Conference last season, plans to compete for the title with veteran James.
Above all, as a globally popular star, James is expected to have a major impact on league attendance and marketing. Although his skills have declined from his peak, his Instagram followers still approach 52 million. Considering Asia's top star Son Heung-min has 14.6 million followers, that is an enormous figure.
Especially in the Americas, James's popularity is bound to be even greater. MLS emphasized, "James is the most recent global superstar to join MLS ahead of the 2026 World Cup."
Son Heung-min's name was mentioned next. MLS boasted that it not only has James but also superstars Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez (both Inter Miami), Son Heung-min, and Thomas Müller (Vancouver).
MLS described Son Heung-min, saying, "The Tottenham legend set a league record last summer when he joined LAFC. The Korean superstar made an immediate impact with nine goals and three assists in just 10 regular-season matches. He scored three goals in the playoffs, including a wonderful equalizing free kick against Vancouver."
[Photo] Minnesota, MLS, LAFC social media.
[OSEN]