Spain is the World Champion—and Rodri was once again at the heart of it all. The Spanish midfielder orchestrated the Iberians’ build-up play throughout the entire World Cup tournament. For this, the Man City pro also received FIFA’s highest individual honor.
Never trailing once throughout the entire tournament, setting a world record streak, and deservedly defeating Argentina 1-0 in extra time in a less-than-spectacular World Cup final: Spain was crowned world champion this Sunday, following its victory at the 2024 European Championship in Germany.
Right in the thick of it: Rodri.
WATCH: Spain lifts the FIFA World Cup trophy.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has come to an end. pic.twitter.com/Wcr1As5ZQP
— Clash Report (@clashreport) July 19, 2026
The 30-year-old, who started all eight matches and was substituted late in the game only twice, was once again the linchpin of the Spanish team’s play. This earned him the Player of the Tournament award from FIFA following the final. In doing so, the 30-year-old from Manchester City edged out his rival Lionel Messi, who—despite scoring eight goals and providing four assists—missed out on the Golden Boot (Kylian Mbappé claimed the top scorer title with ten goals).
But was choosing Rodri as the best player of this massive World Cup—featuring 48 nations for the first time—the right decision? Or would Messi, who had already been crowned in 2014 and 2022, have deserved this individual honor after all?