In the match against Georgia, the Spanish team unexpectedly conceded a goal in the 18th minute with an own goal by Robin Le Normand. La Roja struggled a bit as they had to find an equalizer and avoid counter-attacks from their opponents. In about 20 minutes of effort, Rodri spoke up at the right time to help the "Goats" close the gap.
It was the 28-year-old star's calmness that made Spain gradually dominate the game and continuously put pressure on Georgia's goal. Rodri repeatedly signaled his teammates not to rush and slowly deploy the ball even when the opponent was leading.
The biggest thing for a leader is to stay calm when his team is not yet stable. You need to lead the team and give them the right choice" - Rodri shared.
Spain overcame storm Georgia, with a 4-1 comeback thanks to Lamine Yamal's excellent performance, Williams's classy solo goal and Fabian Ruiz's excellent form. However, Rodri deserved to be the best player of the match.
The midfielder born in 1996 has had more touches than anyone else (129), made the most passes (117) with an accuracy rate of 93% and won all 6 one-on-one challenges. In addition, Rodri also had 5 accurate long passes, 3 successful tackles and scored from the only shot on target. This is the perfect statistic for a defensive midfielder.
Man City fans are very familiar with Rodri's consistency. This makes the 28-year-old midfielder so important that Pep Guardiola doesn't even have a suitable substitute, let alone replace him.
Rodri's story with the Spanish national team is different. This is the first major tournament in which Rodri has started in his preferred position. Previously, the standard defensive midfield role belonged to Sergio Busquets. The former Barcelona star has retired from the Spanish national team after the 2022 World Cup - a tournament where Rodri had to play as a centre-back due to limitations in his choice from Luis Enrique.
Rodri has played in 73 matches for Spain but has only played 53 matches, with 40 starts and 13 from the bench. When De la Fuente took over La Roja from Luis Enrique, he was determined to give the Man City star the most important role in the team. Previously, the midfielder born in 1996 became his trusted midfielder for the Spanish U19 team.
Rodri has also been promoted to the vice-captain position. He was voted "Best Player" of the 2023 Nations League final, where Spain beat Croatia on penalties to win the first title since the glorious era of the Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta generations.
The goal against Gruzia showed why Rodri has become a mainstay of this new generation. In every movement of the 28-year-old star, there is a sense of tactics, sharp passes and impressive physical strength that helped him win in the challenges and decisions at both ends of the field.
Rodri's level of dedication and professionalism are also demonstrated and recognized in the Spanish national team. Before the friendly match between Spain and Brazil in March, Rodri had gone through a difficult time when his grandfather passed away the day before.
The Spanish Football Federation has allowed the Man City star to return to his family. However, the midfielder decided to stay and thank his grandfather by playing. That day, Morata gave Rodri the captain's armband and he scored two goals. Immediately after the match, the team members were deeply impressed with Rodri's level of dedication.
In the immediate future, La Roja will face the biggest challenge since the beginning of the tournament when they meet host Germany in the quarter-finals of EURO 2024. However, it seems that Rodri is not too worried.
Germany will take advantage of the home field advantage but we are not afraid of anyone. Spain also have their own weapons and whoever wants to win will have to play a great match" - Rodri shared.
