The star of Manchester City and Spain, Rodri, made an unexpected and “sad” post-match comeback.
Rodri produced yet another masterclass in midfield on Tuesday, helping Spain defeat France 2-1 and go to the Euro 2024 final.
Rodri’s accomplishments over the past few years should not surprise anyone with his intellect.
The Spaniard has only experienced defeat once since February 2023. During that period, he won the Champions League final, the UEFA Nations League with Spain, the Premier League title with Manchester City, and the triple.
Rodri isn’t even known for his match-winning performances. The midfielder provides rhythm and movement to both City and Spain, tying everything together to make both teams work.
It hasn’t been simple to become the world’s best-holding midfielder, in Pep Guardiola’s words.
After joining City in 2019, Rodri took 18 months to get used to his new environment. He credits his current success to a routine he developed after working with Guardiola.
“I always watch games back, whole. Especially if I think there are things that can be done better. I watch them alone,” Rodri admitted in an interview with The Guardian before the France game.
“You see lots of things you didn’t see on the pitch. The feeling you have watching it is different to how it felt at the time.
“I often find there are things I don’t even remember having happened. I like to analyse the game, not just mine, but the rest of the team. In my mind, I see moments.”
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Not surprisingly, Rodri is ranked third among bettors to win the Ballon d’Or later this year, behind only Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior.
It would be difficult to argue that he shouldn’t be the favourite if Spain wins the European Championship on Sunday.
