James Rodriguez Reveals MLS Debut Date—Which Comes Against Former Teammate

Vancouver’s BC Place will be the stage for a marquee MLS moment on Sunday when Colombian playmaker James Rodríguez steps onto the pitch for the first time in Minnesota United colors, lining up against a familiar face in Vancouver Whitecaps star Thomas Müller. The 34-year-old confirmed his debut during a livestream with content creator Pelicanger, telling viewers in Spanish, “Next weekend, I play on Sunday … against the team of Müller. Vancouver, I think. It’s nice here.”

Rodríguez, signed to a non-designated player deal in the offseason, has been included in Minnesota’s gameday squads but has yet to feature competitively. His last club appearance came on Nov. 8, 2025, for Liga MX side Club Léon. While Minnesota head coach Cameron Knowles has remained guarded about the midfielder’s readiness, Rodríguez’s own announcement ends the speculation.

Across the field will stand Müller, whose impact since arriving in August 2025 has been immediate: 11 goals and four assists in 19 matches, a fourth consecutive Canadian Championship, and a Western Conference title. The German’s Whitecaps fell just short of MLS Cup glory last December, losing to Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in the final.

Sunday’s encounter will be the first time the two World Cup Golden Boot winners share a pitch as opponents. Müller earned the accolade in 2010 with five goals for Germany, while Rodríguez captured the prize four years later in Brazil, striking six times and producing the tournament’s Puskás Award winner. Between 2017 and 2019 they were teammates at Bayern Munich, collecting two Bundesliga crowns, two German Super Cups, and the 2019 DFB-Pokal.

For Rodríguez, the match also serves as a final audition ahead of Colombia’s March friendlies against Croatia and France as he targets another World Cup appearance. BC Place, soon to trade its artificial surface for natural grass ahead of hosting seven matches this summer, will provide the backdrop for what could be an iconic MLS weekend.