Rodri has described Spain’s World Cup triumph as the culmination of the hardest tournament of his career, after collecting the Golden Ball to cap a remarkable return from serious injury and dedicating the win to those who supported him throughout.
The Manchester City midfielder was widely regarded as the outstanding performer in Monday’s 1-0 extra time win over Argentina, dictating tempo from deep and repeatedly breaking up attacks, with Argentina only able to contain him by committing two players to him or resorting to fouls. Speaking to Spanish broadcaster TVE after the match, Rodri reflected on both the achievement and the personal journey that preceded it.
“This group has been sensational. We are World Cup winners, it’s incredible to say it,” Rodri said. “For me, the most difficult World Cup tournament ever. And we were capable of beating an Argentina who have all my respect, with the best player of all time.”
Rodri’s tournament marked a full return to form after two injury disrupted seasons at Manchester City, including a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament suffered in September 2024 that limited him to just 38 club appearances since, and restricted him to only six international caps between Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph and this summer’s World Cup. He addressed that journey directly in his comments. “Only people who have been through what I’ve been through can know,” he said. “The moments when the people who love you are there, when those who have always backed you are there. Obviously there are many people who don’t know you, but I’ve always felt support from everyone. The love from the Spanish fans.”
Speaking separately to Fox, Rodri was asked by Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez how Spain had managed to stay so consistent and composed throughout the tournament. “The gap of improvement from the Euros, it was the way this team has matured. It’s built in the games, it’s built in every single day,” Rodri said. “We faced very different opponents, of course lots of European opponents, but different moments, different types of games, and we managed to play all of them. So I think we grew in this sense. And this generation is making history for our country, as you can see, but also in the way we did it.”
Asked by Landon Donovan about the Spain family members who had followed the team throughout the tournament, an emotional Rodri paused before responding. “I don’t want to cry,” he said, before continuing, “All of them here, they’ve been watching us since we were 15. They were following us when Luis de la Fuente was the Under 19 Spain coach, so many adventures in all this time. And now we’re champions of the world, so this is for them.”
His performance in the final underlined why he was later confirmed as the tournament’s best player, ahead of Lionel Messi, who took the Silver Ball, and Kylian Mbappe, who won the Bronze Ball. Rodri’s Golden Ball completed a sweep of individual honours for Spain, with Pau Cubarsi winning the Young Player award and Unai Simon collecting the Golden Glove, while Mbappe took the Golden Boot as top scorer and Jude Bellingham the Bronze Boot. The Netherlands were awarded the Fair Play Trophy.
Spain’s win was built on a defensive record that saw them concede just 2.2 expected goals across all eight matches, the best mark of any team at the tournament, with the next best side, Uruguay, having played only three games. Head coach Luis de la Fuente, who has now won 14 of his 15 major tournament matches in charge, with Cape Verde the only side to have beaten his Spain side, was similarly emotional in his own assessment of the campaign.
“I feel so much pride, for this generation of footballers, who have kept improving, always faithful to our idea of football,” de la Fuente said. “I don’t want to cry, it wouldn’t look good, but I am very emotional after having looked back. These players have given us an example of a group, of a team, a family, role models for Spanish sport, Spanish youth, Spain itself.” He also praised his side’s resolve in seeing out the win against ten men. “The game could have been decided a long time before. But this is a World Cup final, and even against 10, you have to suffer. But we like to suffer, we’ve shown we’re ready for everything.”
