Spain’s Rodri writes history, joins the most exclusive club in football after the glory of the World Cup | Football News
Spain midfielder Rodri has etched his name alongside some of football’s greatest legends after completing one of the sport’s most remarkable collections of accolades after La Roja’s. FIFA World Cup 2026 victory. As Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final, Rodri became the fourth player in history to win the FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championship, UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d’Or, joined an exclusive group that included Gerd Müller, Franz Beckenbauer and Zinedine Zidane. The 30-year-old capped a remarkable tournament by also claiming the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball, awarded to the competition’s best player, after serving as the heartbeat of Spain’s unbeaten title-winning campaign. Already a UEFA Euro champion and Ballon d’Or winner after his stellar 2024 season, Rodri added another major milestone to his glittering career as Spain secured just their second World Cup crown. The midfielder has been instrumental throughout the tournament, appearing in all eight matches and setting the pace from the center of the pitch. He completed more passes, covered more distance and recorded more player involvements than any other player in the tournament, highlighting his influence at both ends of the field. Rodri also entered the record books with 756 completed passes, the highest tally by any player in a FIFA World Cup in the last 60 years. The previous best in that period was his own mark of 638 passes from the 2022 tournament, while Spanish defender Pau Cubarsí finished second on the 2026 list with 671. Aymeric Laporte (616 in 2026) and Xavi (596 in 2010) completed the top five. His vision was executed equally decisively. Rodri made 122 line-breaking passes during the tournament, the most by any player since fellow Spaniard Xabi Alonso made 126 at the 2010 World Cup. The final against Argentina highlighted exactly why Rodri was named Player of the Tournament. He completed 101 of his 105 passes, won 80 percent of his duels and created two chances as Spain controlled large spells of the contest before Ferran Torres scored the winner in extra time. Rodri’s work without the ball is just as valuable. His intelligent positioning and defensive support helped Spain concede just one goal in eight games, the fewest by a World Cup-winning team. The World Cup’s Golden Ball adds another prestigious individual award to the collection of Rodri, who was also named the best player at UEFA Euro 2024 before winning the Ballon d’Or later that year. Spain also dominated the tournament’s individual awards. Pau Cubarsí was named Young Player of the Tournament, while goalkeeper Unai Simón claimed the Golden Glove after keeping seven clean sheets during La Roja’s victorious campaign. With the World Cup now added to his résumé, Rodri cements his place among football’s greatest midfielders of all time, joining an elite list of players whose achievements span the team’s biggest trophies and the game’s highest individual honors.
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