James Rodríguez made his first MLS start on Saturday for Minnesota United and guaranteed fans that he will arrive at the 2026 World Cup with Colombia in “excellent form,” with the roster set to be announced in the coming weeks. While the 34-year-old’s Loons fell 1–0 to LAFC, Rodríguez turned heads by returning to the MLS pitch after a brief hospitalization for severe dehydration following his time with Colombia in the March international window.  Through 63 minutes, James had two shots on target, while stunning the sellout crowd of nearly 20,000, including Colombia manager Néstor Lorenzo, with skillful dribbling around opponents. Previously, he played 66 minutes on the road against USL Championship side Sacramento Republic on April 14 in U.S. Open Cup play. “I felt good with this being my first start here,” James told reporters after the match. “Unfortunately, we lost the match ...…