As Spain captain Rodri lifted the World Cup trophy high into the New Jersey sky on Sunday, he added the greatest prize of all to a collection that already included a Ballon d'Or, one European title, one Nations League, four Premier League trophies and one Champions League. The Manchester City playmaker's stock is at an all-time high after Spain beat Argentina 1-0 to secure a first World Cup triumph since 2010. Not only did the 30-year-old steer his side to glory, he was also crowned player of the tournament, becoming the first Spanish winner of the Golden Ball since the award was introduced in 1978.
Rodri's journey to this peak has been anything but straightforward. After rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in 2024, questions were asked about whether he could ever return to the heights that saw him clinch the Treble with City in 2023 and claim the Euros with Spain a year later. Now it seems he was simply biding his time, patiently waiting for a full return to fitness in order to peak at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“Rodri lifts World Cup, becoming fourth player to win all four major men's titles.”
His performances throughout the tournament were nothing short of masterful. He completed 756 passes, the most in a single World Cup edition on record since 1966. Featuring in all eight matches, he topped the metrics for touches (910), passes in the opposition half (428), and line-breaking passes (122) including in the final third (76). In the final itself, his 101 completed passes was second only to defender Pau Cubarsi's 121, making them two of only three players on record (since 1966) to exceed 100 passes in a World Cup final, alongside Brazil's Dunga in 1994.
With this victory, Rodi becomes only the fourth men's player to win the World Cup, Euros, Champions League and Ballon d'Or, joining legends Gerd Muller, Franz Beckenbauer and Zinedine Zidane. His future at Manchester City, however, remains uncertain. With only one year left on his contract and Real Madrid reportedly coming knocking, the question now is: what next for Spain's conductor?