Spain captain Rodri said his journey from the heights of world football to the despair of a serious knee injury and back to the summit again should serve as an inspiration to young players after La Roja defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time to win the FIFA World Cup 2026 title on Sunday.
Named Player of the Tournament after another commanding campaign, the 30-year-old reflected on his remarkable comeback less than two years after rupturing his knee ligaments.
“It feels like the perfect script. I certainly didn’t expect this,” Rodri said after receiving FIFA’s Golden Ball award.
“I’d love for the younger generations to see that a player who touches the heavens, then descends into hell, can come back. It’s a lesson in overcoming adversity,” he added.
Rodri completed one of football’s rarest collections of honours with the victory, becoming only the fourth player after Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller and Zinedine Zidane to win the FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championship, UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d’Or.
Rodri has been one of the stalwarts of Manchester City during the club’s most successful period.
Rodri praises Spanish players for their clinical performance against Argentina
Despite the individual award, Rodri credited Spain’s collective team spirit for their success against a tough Argentina side.
“That’s the secret of the national team. We’re always going to go for you. In the end, God rewards you. We’ve been brave,” he said.
“We’re on cloud nine. This squad is sensational. We’re two-time World Cup champions. It was the toughest tournament in World Cup history. We beat a great Argentina side, featuring (Lionel) Messi, the best player in history,” he further added.
Spain finally broke the deadlock in the 106th minute when Ferran Torres raced onto Nico Williams’ knockdown and blasted the ball into the roof of the net, sealing a 1-0 victory and the country’s second World Cup title after its maiden triumph in 2010.
Rodri believed Spain deserved their victory despite Argentina’s stubborn resistance.
“Argentina. World champions. They haven’t created much, but they’re hard to break down. Spain is simply very good, and in the end, the result was fair.” he concluded.
(With inputs from ANI)
