Rodriguez returns to MLS club in Minnesota

Colombian star James Rodriguez, who was hospitalised last week for severe dehydration, returned to his MLS club Minnesota United to continue his ramp-up to game readiness.

The team announced that Rodriguez reported to the practice facility for a supervised return-to-activity session on Monday. His reintegration into full team training will be fully guided by the club’s medical staff.

Rodriguez played for Colombia’s national team in an exhibition match against France on March 29, when his symptoms of dehydration began. He was hospitalised two days later for continued monitoring and IV fluid therapy.

Since his discharge after a three-day hospital stay, Rodriguez has been recovering at home with continued medical supervision, the team said.

Minnesota United said its medical staff “can unequivocally state there has been no clinical or laboratory evidence of rhabdomyolysis,” referring to a rare but life-threatening condition in which muscles can disintegrate from overexertion or other causes.

The Colombian Football Federation issued a statement last week declaring a favourable prognosis for Rodriguez’s recovery and improvement. Colombia’s first World Cup match is on June 17 against Uzbekistan.

Rodriguez became a worldwide star at the 2014 World Cup, when he won the Golden Boot award as the tournament’s leading scorer with six goals in five matches. He joined Real Madrid in Spain after that, spending six seasons with the La Liga powerhouse and also had stays with Bayern Munich in Germany’s Bundesliga and Everton in the English Premier League.

Since signing with Minnesota United two months ago, Rodriguez has played in just two of six matches with the club.