MLS begins a transformative season with Lionel Messi, Son Heung-min and record transfers as North America prepares to host the World Cup.
Argentina will face Columbia in their Copa America title defence on Sunday, July 14.
'Being able to finish this way here with my people is what I always dreamed of.'
Racing towards the camera after scoring direct from a corner at Colombia's top youth tournament in 2004, excited scouts could see James Rodriguez was a kid at ease in the limelight.
The victory lifted Brazil to second in South American qualifying with 21 points, four behind leaders Argentina and one ahead of Uruguay in third, both of whom have a game in hand and will clash on Friday.
Colombian James Rodriguez scored both goals in Monaco's 2-0 victory at Bastia on Saturday, keeping them in contention for the Ligue 1 title, five points behind leaders Paris St Germain.
The United States' bid for a fourth consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title came to a stunning end
James Rodriguez scored one goal and set up two more as Colombia thoroughly dismantled Panama in a 5-0 win at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Saturday to march into the Copa America semi-finals.
Brazil missed a string of chances and were left to rue a lack of quality in the final third after they were held 0-0 by Costa Rica.
Fourteen stadiums across the US will host the Copa America matches.
Images from the Copa America Group D matches between Brazil-Colombia and Paraguay-Costa Rica.
Brazil shocked and other big upsets at World Cup qualifiers played on Tuesday
Colombia, who have qualified for the quarter-finals, top Group D with six points after two matches, with Brazil in second on four points.
Argentina won a record 16th Copa America title by beating Colombia 1-0 thanks to an extra-time goal from substitute Lautaro Martinez.
Ivan Toney, once Brentford's lynchpin in attack, has moved to Al-Ahli for 40 million pounds ($52.50 million).
A stunning overhead kick by Eduard Bello helped Venezuela hold Brazil to a 1-1 draw in their 2026 World Cup qualifier on Thursday.
Brazil lost their second consecutive World Cup qualifier match as Colombia fought back to win 2-1 against the five-times champions.
In his domestic career, James had moved to Spain from the French side AS Monaco directly after claiming the World Cup Golden Boot with his six goals at the 2014 competition in Brazil.
No details of the fee for Rodriguez were disclosed but media reports said it was around 80 million euros (63.2 million pounds).
Bayern Munich have signed midfielder James Rodriguez from Real Madrid on a two-year loan deal with an option to buy the player, the German champions said on Tuesday.
Colombia reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time after a double from James Rodriguez gave them a 2-0 win over Uruguay in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.
Irish female footballer Stephanie Roche, who currently plays for French division 1 Feminine club ASPTT Albi, has earned a unique distinction of being the only woman to have been shortlisted for FIFA's goal of the year alongside fellow strikers Robin van Persie and James Rodriguez.
The Welshman has a contract until 2022 and was set to make a lucrative move to the Chinese Super League last year before the transfer was scuttled when Real made a last-minute decision to insist on a transfer fee rather than terminate his contract.
Allowing a lead to twice slip from their grasp in their last World Cup game could come back to haunt Senegal when they face Colombia in a decisive Group H clash in Samara on Thursday.
Boosted by 2014 Golden Boot winner James Rodriguez and top scorer Radamel Falcao, a confident Colombia will be looking to demolish low-ranked Japan on Tuesday before moving on to tougher Group H rivals Poland and Senegal.
Players from European champions Barcelona made up nearly half of UEFA's Team of the Year which was revealed on Friday, while Cristiano Ronaldo made the lineup for a record 10th time. Eight players from La Liga were included in the final XI, voted for by 7.2 million UEFA.com users from a 40-strong shortlist. Lionel Messi, Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, Andres Iniesta and Neymar were the Barcelona players included, while Real Madrid provided Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos and James Rodriguez.
He has been in a rich vein of form at international level too, leading Poland to the finals with 16 goals,
Real Madrid's Croatian midfielder Luka Modric has praised the high-profile signings of World Cup pair Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez and has targeted a clean sweep of domestic and European silverware next season.
Here are six who could make the biggest impact in this season's English Premier League.
Colombia became the first side to book a spot in the Copa America Centenario quarter-finals on Tuesday after beating Paraguay in Pasadena, while the United States kept their hopes of advancing alive by thrashing Costa Rica 4-0. Colombia's 2-1 win put them top of Group A on six points, with the United States on three and the other two teams on one point each. After losing their opener 2-0 to Colombia, the United States were in clinical form against the Costa Ricans in Chicago and scored three times in the first half through Clint Dempsey, Jermaine Jones and Bobby Wood. Substitute Graham Zusi added a fourth in the 86th minute to cap the win and improve the hosts' goal difference.
Colombia will miss Rodriguez's creativity and ability on the ball if he misses their last-16 encounter after they laboured to breakdown Senegal before Yerry Mina's bullet header in the 74th minute sealed a dramatic win.
Real Madrid's lavishly assembled squad, including World Cup sensation James Rodriguez in attack, aim to be the first team to win all six trophies available this season with the European Super Cup already under their belt.
James Rodriguez became one of only 12 players to score in five consecutive World Cup matches, according to FIFA, and only two have made it six in a row.
Argentina's Lionel Messi is the bookmaker's favourite to win the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball at the World Cup while France, Brazil, Argentina and the Netherlands are favourites to win their matches in the quarter-finals which start on Friday.
Brazil is under intense pressure to breathe life into their World Cup campaign and produce a performance worthy of champions when they face Colombia and their free-scoring midfielder James Rodriguez in Friday's quarter-final.
Photos of the pre-quarterfinal match between Colombia and Uruguay
Colombia and Greece advanced to the second round from Group C in the World Cup.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has opened the door to out-of-favour midfielder James Rodriguez leaving the club by admitting the player's lack of appearances could become a problem.
Gareth Bale scored against his former club Tottenham Hotspur as Real Madrid claimed a convincing 2-0 win over the Premier League club in a friendly at the pre-season Audi Cup in Germany.
James Rodriguez struck in the second half to give Colombia a 1-1 draw away against Chile in 2018 World Cup qualifying on Thursday as the hosts dropped their first points of the South American campaign.