Spain’s goalless start to the World Cup against debutants Cape Verde has triggered intense scrutiny, with Rodri singled out by parts of the Spanish media. Head coach Luis de la Fuente rejects those attacks, viewing them as unfair and excessive towards the Euro 2024 Player of the Tournament.
The European champions entered their opening Group H match as heavy favourites, yet could not break down Cape Verde. The result leaves Spain needing a response against Saudi Arabia on Sunday to keep control of qualification before their final group fixture with Uruguay.
De la Fuente strongly backed the Manchester City midfielder when speaking to Cadena COPE radio. "It seems incredibly insulting to me that people would say that about the best player in the world,"
De la Fuente told Cadena COPE radio. The head coach insisted Rodri still sets the standard globally in midfield.
Rodri faced claims that the tempo of Spain’s play slowed under control. De la Fuente rejected that view and highlighted Rodri’s importance in possession. The coach described Rodri as vital to Spain’s balance, organisation and calm decision-making during tense World Cup matches.
Spain’s dominance against Cape Verde was clear in the numbers, even without a goal. Rodri recorded a game-high 134 touches, more than any player on either side. Rodri attempted 126 passes, completing 116 of them, before being replaced by Nico Williams in the 87th minute.
Despite that influence, Rodri was removed late as Spain chased a winning goal. Media debate then quickly focused on whether Spain required quicker circulation. De la Fuente instead stressed trust in Rodri’s control and viewed the criticism as disproportionate for a player of such status.
"Would people say that about others who are considered the best in the world? I think they wouldn't dare. But because they’re Spanish, we say things about our own that we wouldn’t about others. Rodri is the best player in the world. Even at 50%, he is better than most other midfielders in the world. He brings clarity, vision, balance. Rodri is an inspiration for us. "
Pre-match projections underline the scale of Spain’s missed opportunity. The Opta supercomputer gave De la Fuente’s team an 87.2% chance of beating Cape Verde. There is a 65-place gap between the nations in the FIFA World Rankings, the largest differential without a win at a World Cup since rankings began in 1993.
| Rodri Spain World Cup fixtures | Opponent | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | Cape Verde | Group H opener |
| Spain | Saudi Arabia | Second group match |
| Spain | Uruguay | Third group match |
Lamine Yamal’s role is another key issue before facing Saudi Arabia. The Barcelona winger, whose club season ended early due to a hamstring injury, appeared from the bench in the 71st minute against Cape Verde. De la Fuente is weighing whether to start Lamine Yamal or use impact minutes again.
"We'll evaluate it. Games are decided in the second half. You don't win many games in the first 45 minutes," De la Fuente added. "We'll assess it, whether it's best for us for him to start, or whether to take advantage of the opponent's tiredness in the final minutes, when Lamine is decisive. It will depend on the state of the game. "
De la Fuente expects injured players, including Lamine Yamal, to build rhythm across the group stage. "They [the injured players] will arrive in the moment we need them. On Sunday, they'll get more minutes, and in the third game against Uruguay, they'll be even better. " The coach pointed to previous tournament decisions to support this patient approach.
"In the last Euros, Dani Olmo came in with an injury. He could have stayed at home. We decided to risk him. Olmo came, he recovered, and he was top scorer. Nobody remembers that now, but I do. " For De la Fuente, Rodri remains central to Spain’s plans, while gradual returns for Lamine Yamal and others are expected to raise the team’s level across the World Cup group stage.
