James Rodríguez, a midfielder for MLS team Minnesota United FC, has had rumors about a severe medical condition debunked by his club. The claims suggested that the Colombian midfielder may be suffering from rhabdomyolysis, a serious muscle-wasting disease.
The 34-year-old, who previously played for Everton, spent three days in a hospital due to “severe dehydration” following Colombia’s friendly loss to France on March 29.
Colombia’s football federation clarified his hospitalization was for a condition “not related to musculoskeletal injuries” and had no connection to his football activities.
Despite rumors circulating on social media about rhabdomyolysis—a rare condition that leads to muscle breakdown and can cause potentially life-threatening kidney damage—Minnesota United released a statement assuring that there is “no clinical or laboratory evidence” of such a condition.
Minnesota United requested that the media and public avoid further speculation on Rodríguez’s health, stating that any updates will come via official club channels.
Rodríguez was substituted in the 63rd minute of the match against France, and the Colombian Football Federation announced on April 2 that he had “presented with severe dehydration” the following day, leading to a 72-hour hospital stay for monitoring and recovery.
According to the club, Rodríguez received IV fluid therapy before being released and returned to the training ground on Monday for a “supervised return-to-activity session.”
The club added that his full reintegration into team training would adhere to protocols established by the medical department, guided by his clinical progress.
Rodríguez’s career has included tenures at FC Porto, AS Monaco, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich, along with a year-long stint at Everton for the 2020-21 season.
Having represented his country in two World Cups, Rodríguez joined Minnesota United on a short-term contract in February.