James Rodriguez's nightmare debut

Midfielder James Rodríguez had a forgettable day making his Minnesota United debut against Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS on the morning of March 16th.

James Rodriguez (right) had a forgettable debut.

In this match, Rodríguez didn't start but was brought on in the 64th minute. At that point, Minnesota were trailing 5-0 and had virtually no chance of turning the situation around. The Colombian star's appearance offered some hope for a noteworthy individual performance, but the game was already too one-sided.

Ultimately, Vancouver Whitecaps closed out the game with a resounding 6-0 victory, one of the heaviest defeats in Minnesota's history in MLS.

Despite the disappointing result, the match marked a significant milestone for Rodríguez personally. It was his first official appearance after a 117-day absence. The midfielder's last official match was on November 18, 2025, when he scored for Colombia in their 3-0 victory over Australia.

Furthermore, the clash between Minnesota and Vancouver Whitecaps holds historical significance for MLS. For the first time in the league's history, two players who have won the World Cup Golden Boot will appear on the field in the same match. Besides James Rodríguez, the winner of the 2014 World Cup Golden Boot, the match will also feature Thomas Muller, the recipient of the same award at the 2010 World Cup.

Despite a less-than-ideal debut, Rodríguez is expected to quickly adapt to the intensity of MLS. With extensive experience in top European leagues and at the national team level, the Colombian midfielder is seen as a player who can make a difference for Minnesota United for the remainder of the season.

Neymar's pressing forces opponents into mistakes. On the morning of March 16th, Neymar left his mark in the 1-1 draw between Santos and Corinthians in the 6th round of the Brazilian National Championship (Brasileiro Série A).

Source: https://znews.vn/tran-ra-mat-ac-mong-cua-james-rodriguez-post1635363.html