There may not be a more perfect encapsulation of Spain than the fact that its best player at this World Cup doesn’t have a goal or assist.
There may not be a more perfect encapsulation of Spain than the fact that its best player at this World Cup doesn’t have a goal or assist, isn’t in any advertisements and plays a position deep enough that an untrained eye can go 90 minutes without noticing him.
Compared to Lionel Messi, whose teammates sing about winning in honor of and who is spoken about with God-like reverence in every corner of the soccer world, Rodri is the most anonymous Ballon d’Or winner on the planet. That, though, is the ethos and appeal of Spain, which heads into Sunday’s World Cup Final with the chance to knock Argentina off its perch and complete what would be a dominant run to the trophy.
La Roja’s very ethos is its collective. It wins games through relentless ball possession and counter-pressing, usually by scorelines that understate its dominance. Rodri, according to statistics compiled by WhoScored, has amassed 100 touches or more six times at this World Cup. The next-highest player, Argentina’s Leandro Paredes, has hit that mark three times.
Rodri wins duels, keeps the ball moving and plays a game that is the opposite of flashy. It is perfectly emblematic of his team.
“I’ve heard at the beginning of the tournament I wasn’t able to play,” said Rodri, who had a halting season with Manchester City after returning from an ACL injury. “Now that I recovered my shape, I try not to listen too much. I’ve always been confident in myself.
“I think one of the big parts of my game is trying to replicate this accuracy, intentional passing and being very safe with the ball. Very happy with the development. That’s the main thing for me in this tournament, the development individual as a group. We can do it better.
” The last line echoes something Spain coach Luis de La Fuente has repeatedly expressed, even after his side’s emphatic dismissal of France in the semifinal. He demands constant improvement from his team. Every match of the FIFA World Cup will air on either FOX or FOX Sports 1. If you don’t have cable, you can take advantage of afor $10 off purchases over $250 at checkout if you’re a first-time SeatGeek user.
On Friday, not for the first time, de La Fuente, a Roman Empire obsessive who has been reading Marcus Aurelius’ “Reflections,” returned to a quote from that tome: “What brings no benefit to the hive, brings none to the bee. ” “Players should have that mindset where you need to work for the collective good. That makes us stronger,” he said.
“That is a teaching we shouldn’t forget — ever. ” To beat an Argentina squad that — as England, Switzerland, Egypt and Cape Verde have all learned — is impossible to kill, Spain will need to lean on those strengths.
As much as its possession and strength in midfield allows it to control games, with Rodri, Dani Olmo and Fabián Ruiz forming a dominant trio, the physicality and sheer emotion of Argentina — so much of it tied to Messi — is a factor that no other team in the World Cup has at its disposal. Spain star Rodri talks with the media on July 17, 2026 in New York.
, ahead of his team’s World Cup final match vs. Argentina.
“Argentina is far more than Messi,” Rodri said. “They’ve proven they’re a very complete team with top players. ” That is true, and it can be easy to look past the quality that surrounds Messi in favor of his individual contributions. Still, he is the emotional centerpiece and the ethos of his team in a way that is antithetical to Spain.
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“I think it goes beyond words what Messi means as a player and what he means for Argentina,” Rodri said. “Obviously, for me, he’s the greatest of all time. He’s a player that has managed to lead his national team and he led his national team in Qatar. ”Spain star Rodri talks with the media on July 17, 2026 in New York. , ahead of his team's World Cup final match vs. Argentina.
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