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James Rodríguez was hospitalized in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for severe dehydration following Colombia's friendly match against France, the Colombian Football Federation confirmed on Thursday.
The 34-year-old showed no symptoms until after returning to Minnesota, having not played more than 26 minutes in any match since a Nov. 19 international friendly between Colombia and Australia. With Minnesota United, which Rodríguez joined on a deal running through at least the 2026 World Cup, he has made just two appearances totaling only 13 and 26 minutes respectively.
Against France, Rodríguez logged 63 minutes on the pitch—matching the playing time he had accumulated days prior in Colombia's 2–1 loss to Croatia in Orlando, Florida.
"It has been confirmed, after establishing communication with a medical center in the State of Minnesota, that the midfielder has been under professional observation due to a non-sports-related medical condition," the federation said in a statement.
"The day after the match against France, the player presented with severe dehydration that required hospitalization for the past 72 hours for preventative and recovery monitoring."
Así fue el momento en el que James abandonó el campo ayer: pic.twitter.com/yWSJM19DvJ
According to The Athletic, Rodríguez has since returned to his home in Minneapolis, where he is resting and recuperating. All indications suggest he is unlikely to feature in Minnesota's Saturday evening fixture against Marco Reus's LA Galaxy.
"It is important to clarify that this situation is not related to musculoskeletal injuries nor is it linked to the development of his football activities," the Colombian Federation's statement continued. "Fortunately, the current medical report indicates a favorable evolution and a steady improvement."
While his availability for the World Cup remains uncertain, Colombia's Group K schedule will see them take on Uzbekistan, DR Congo and Portugal, with ambitions of advancing deep into the knockout rounds.
Heat Concerns As World Cup Nears
With two March friendlies completed and dehydration issues emerging, growing concerns persist over the heat expected to test players, staff and supporters at the 2026 World Cup, which will be held across 16 cities throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.
At the 2025 Club World Cup, Borussia Dortmund's substitutes watched the opening half of a match in Cincinnati from the dressing room as temperatures soared to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius).
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández, who is expected to represent Argentina at the World Cup, described the heat as "very dangerous," and revealed he felt "a little dizzy" during the final against Paris Saint-Germain at MetLife Stadium, which is slated to host the 2026 World Cup final.
To address the heat, FIFA is requiring a three-minute hydration break in the middle of each half—which will also serve as an advertising window—and a number of venues feature roofs or partial air conditioning, including those in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Vancouver.
England manager Thomas Tuchel told BBC Sport ahead of the World Cup draw in December that the idea of having substitutes watch from inside the stadium had already crossed his mind.
"If this is what helps us later in matches when they come on, we have to consider it a possibility," Tuchel said. "Nobody likes it because I want the players to be out there to feel the energy and give us energy from the bench on to the field...But I saw players doing this at the Club World Cup. Hopefully, we can avoid it."
The World Cup is scheduled to begin on June 11 in Mexico City, with matches in the U.S. and Canada commencing on June 12, building toward the final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19.