Colombia Archives

Colombia’s James Rodriguez signs with MLS Minnesota United

Colombian national team captain James Rodriguez has signed a short-term contract with Minnesota United ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the MLS club announced on Friday.

The 34-year-old former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder, who last played for Mexican side Leon, has a guaranteed contract through June with a team option through December.

“I’m very happy for this new chapter in my life,” Rodriguez said. “I want to win, I’m a guy who loves to win.

“I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve arrived at a nice and good club from what I have seen. I always live for football. It’s a sport I love and I do with passion and a lot of desire.”

United sporting director Khaled El-Ahmad addressed US government deportation efforts in Minnesota that have led to two killings and numerous large protests.

“In terms of the overall energy around our state, James and his team are aware,” El-Ahmad said. “It’s something we touched on but we really try to think about like ‘OK, come and bring good energy to the community.’

“From a personal perspective I think it’s horrible, I think it’s unfortunate, I think it’s a tough situation to be, but we hear it, we feel it, we’re behind our community.

“The addition of James brings a bit of positive energy and attention to community that’s strong, united, just like our football principles.”

Rodriguez hoped to brighten supporters.

“I hope to be at my best so I can bring joy to this city and to all of the people who are putting their faith in me,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to meeting all of the passionate Minnesota fans because I’m also a passionate player who wants to give everything on the field.”

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The Loons went 16-8 with 10 draws last year to finish fourth in the Western Conference and fell in the playoff quarter-finals.

“James is a player whose quality, vision, and experience at the highest levels of the game are unquestioned,” El-Ahmad said.

“We’re excited to add his creativity and football intelligence to our group.”

Rodriguez said he wanted to play in MLS after star turns in Europe and Latin America and exposure to MLS clubs in last year’s Leagues Cup.

“I’ve played for big clubs but I wanted this league, I wanted to play here,” he said. “When the opportunity to be with this great club came along, everything was a little slow, but it happened. We have made efforts on both sides.”

Rodriguez did not see Minnesota’s cold climate as a worry.

“I’ve already been to a cold city like Munich,” he said. “I think there’ll be no problem with that.”

Rodriguez said he has been training for just over a month and will be ready when Minnesota’s MLS campaign kicks off on February 21 at Austin.

MLS clubs “are tough, physical teams, but football is the same everywhere,” he said. “When you arrive at a new house you have to adapt to the rules.”

Rodriguez is also set to compete for Colombia in June at the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

“I’m in a unique stage,” he said. “In five months I have the World Cup. I’m at a stage where I can’t fail, I have to do things right. I’m very focused on that.”

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Argentina defeat Colombia 1-0 to win record 16th Copa America

Lautaro Martinez scored an extra-time winner as Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 to win a record 16th Copa America title at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday.

A poor game which had been marred by security and crowd issues, forcing an 82-minute delay, was decided by a quality finish from Martinez — his fifth goal of the tournament.

The win was the third straight major tournament title for Argentina following their 2021 Copa America victory and their triumph in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

There were tears before the celebrations though with Argentina captain Lionel Messi going off injured in the 66th minute watching the rest of the game distraught on the bench, while there was an emotional farewell for Angel Di Maria in his final game for the national team.

For Colombia, whose only title came in the 2001 Copa America, it was a disappointing night when little seemed to work for Nestor Lorenzo’s team.

Colombia’s Jhon Corboba hit the bottom of the post with a speculative shot in the seventh minute but neither side were able to find their flow in the early stages.

Di Maria found Messi in the 20th minute with a low ball into the box and Messi’s left-foot shot was saved by Colombia keeper Camilo Vargas.

Colombia had looked the more lively in the opening period and they went close in the 33rd minute when Jefferson Lerma tried his luck from 25 yards out and his low drive forced Emiliano Martinez into a diving save.

There was concern for Messi in the 36th minute when he dribbled to the byline but was halted by a sliding challenge from Santiago Arias which was ruled fair left the Argentine captain needing treatment.

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Messi, who now plays his club football in Miami, then curled a free-kick in from the left flank but Nicolas Tagliafico’s header was just off target.

It had been a disappointing first half and it didn’t improve much after the break, when the fans had at least received some entertainment from Colombian singer Shakira.

Argentina failed to deal with a James Rodriguez corner and the ball looped to Davinson Sanchez but he was unable to keep down his header which floated over the bar.

There was finally some of the expected quality when Di Maria produced one of his trademark runs in from the left and forced Vargas into action, the Colombia keeper turning the ball wide of the post.

Then came a major blow for Argentine hopes when Messi went down, without contact, as he ran in midfield, and clearly in pain he went off to be replaced by Nicolas Gonzalez in the 66th minute.

It was too much for Messi, in what may have been his last major tournament, as he sat in tears on the bench, unable to hold back his emotions.

The Argentine fans thought they had grabbed a winner in the 75th minute when Tagliafico found Gonzalez in the box, who beat Vargas with a low drive but the effort was ruled out for offside.

Little changed in extra-time with a half-chance from Miguel Borja after a flick from Jorge Carrascal but the game was settled by a worthy winner.

Leandro Paredes won the ball in midfield for Argentina with a perfectly timed tackle, found Giovani Lo Celso whose first time pass was perfect for the on-running Martinez who confidently fired home the winner.

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Colombia defeat Uruguay to reach Copa America final

Ten-man Colombia defeated Uruguay 1-0 to reach the final of the Copa America for the first time in 23 years after an ill-tempered semi-final on Wednesday.

A 39th-minute Jefferson Lerma header sealed victory for the Colombians, who will now face defending Copa America champions Argentina in Sunday’s final in Miami.

It was an anarchic semi-final played in front of a packed and passionate crowd which ended with scuffles on the field and fighting in the stands, including several players who had climbed in among supporters amid the flying punches.

Colombia, despite having Daniel Munoz sent off just before the interval and facing plenty of Uruguay pressure, hung on for a famous victory to the delight of their massive following of fans.

The win was the 28th game without defeat for Colombia, setting a new record for the team.

The downtown streets of the North Carolina city were packed with partying fans in bright yellow Colombia jerseys hours before the kick-off.

Not surprisingly in such an atmosphere, Colombia started strongly with their livewire Liverpool winger Luis Diaz doing well to wriggle some space for a cross on the left, finding Daniel Munoz at the back post but the full-back’s header was off target.

Uruguay were, as always, a threat on the counter-attack and their Liverpool star, Darwin Nunez was close to finishing off one break when Rodr Bentancur found him with a clever pass but the forward poked his shot wide.

Nunez had another opening when Maximiliano Araujo played him clear in the inside-right channel but the striker rushed his shot, blasting high and wide.

At the other end, Colombia forced a turnover which led to James Rodriguez curling in a cross from the right but Jhon Cordoba’s header was off target.

The breakthrough came in the 39th minute when Lerma rose majestically above Jose Maria Gimenez and powerfully headed home Rodriguez’s corner.

It was the sixth assist of the tournament for Rodriguez with the former Real Madrid midfielder beating the record for most assists in a single Copa, which was set by Lionel Messi in 2021.

Colombia looked to make the most of their momentum with Richard Rios forcing a save out of Uruguay keeper Sergio Rochet, after being played in by Munoz.

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But having been so influential down the right in the opening half, Munoz lost his head completely, just before the break, picking up a second yellow card, after landing an elbow on Manuel Ugarte.

It was a moment of madness which left Colombia to defend their lead with just 10 men for the entire second half.

Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo took off Rodriguez, who was also on a yellow card, in the 62nd minute as Uruguay gradually began to turn their numerical advantage into real pressure.

Nicolas de la Cruz threatened with a low drive before substitute Luis Suarez clipped the outside of the post with a drive from the edge of the box after good work from Federico Valverde.

Valverde, the Real Madrid midfielder, then went close himself with a low drive as Colombia’s back-line continued to ride their luck.

Giveaway from Uruguay’s keeper and fell to Mateus Uribe, who despite time and space placed his shot wide of the post.

In stoppage time Uruguay had a great chance to force penalties when Nunez laid the ball off to substitute Giorgian de Arrascaeta on the edge of the box but he leaned back and put his shot over the bar.

There was still time for Uribe to waste another chance to make sure of the win, this time hitting the bar in the final minute, but he will be forgiven for his wastefulness by the delirious Colombian supporters.

Uruguay’s Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa took the blame for being unable to craft a win against ten men in the second half.

“Uruguay were clearly in a position to win this game…I take special responsibility for not having been able to establish an advantage when we had the players capable of doing so,” he said.

His compatriot and counterpart Lorenzo said he and his team had been rewarded for their positive approach to the game.

“We took the lead, the risk, and we were even brave. When we were down one we kept two strikers…and that is an act of courage that was rewarded,” he said.

The celebrations were marred by ugly scenes in the stands will concern organizers CONMEBOL ahead of the Copa America final, which is sure to attract huge numbers of Argentines as well as Colombians.

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James Rodriguez steers Colombia past Paraguay at Copa America

James Rodriguez rolled back the years with a vintage performance to help Colombia open their Copa America campaign with a 2-1 victory over Paraguay in Houston on Monday.

Rodriguez, whose club career has languished in the decade since he rose to prominence with a dazzling performance at the 2014 World Cup, created both of his team’s goals in a deserved Group D victory at the NRG Stadium.

The 32-year-old midfielder, who has played just a handful of minutes for Brazilian club Sao Paulo in the two months leading into the Copa America, set up the opening goal for Colombia in the 32nd minute.

After finding space on the left flank, Rodriguez flighted a pinpoint cross to the far post to pick out Daniel Munoz, who beat Paraguay goalkeeper Rodrigo Morinigo with a firm downward header to make it 1-0.

Ten minutes later Colombia doubled their lead and again it was a goal engineered by the trusty left boot of Rodriguez.

This time the goal arrived from the opposite flank, with Rodriguez swinging in a wicked free-kick that was glanced in by Crystal Palace midfielder Jefferson Lerma.

That made it 2-0 at half-time to leave Colombia firmly on course to extend their unbeaten streak to 24 games.

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Colombia continued to carve out the better chances in the second half, but Paraguay set up a nervy finish after Brighton and Hove Albion’s Julio Enciso pulled one back in the 69th minute.

Ramon Sosa crossed from the left and Enciso punished slack marking in the Colombia area to hook an angled first-time volley into the bottom corner past Camilo Vargas.

Colombia, however, controlled play after the Paraguay goal and looked the more threatening team.

The Colombians thought they had earned a penalty in the 84th minute when another teasing Rodriguez cross into the box ended with defender Yerry Mina appearing to be hauled down by Gustavo Velazquez.

Argentinian referee Dario Herrera pointed to the spot but subsequently overturned the decision after a VAR review.

Colombia play Costa Rica in their second group game of the tournament on Friday, before wrapping up their first-round campaign against Brazil on July 2.

Brazil open their Copa America campaign against the Costa Ricans in Inglewood, California, later on Monday.

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