NEW YORK — While they’ve yet to play in the World Cup final, Spain have already made plenty of history during this tournament under Luis de la Fuente. He has taken over the side and turned them into a well-oiled machine, passing with a purpose, defending as a unit, and it hasn’t been down to one specific player. Rodri has anchored the squad as their captain, being there for Spain winning a UEFA Nations League title, European Championship, and now he has a chance to lift the World Cup as well, completing one of the greatest national team runs possible.
Rodri’s own play has been critical to that process. He’s a calm passer with the ball at his feet, while also being able to stop counterattacks in their tracks. It’s key as Spain have already allowed the fewest goals for a team that has played seven matches (the most a team could play before this World Cup’s expansion to 48 teams), with one. It breaks a record that was jointly held by Spain in 2010, France in 1998, and Italy in 2008, all of whom allowed two goals en route to winning the World Cup. If Spain pitches another shutout, they’ll have statistically become the greatest defensive team to ever win a World Cup.
“I’ll always be confident in myself,” Rodri said in his pre-match press conference. “I think one of the big parts of my game is trying to apply this accuracy, as you mentioned, in terms of passing and being very safe with the ball. And yeah, very happy with the development. That’s the main thing for me in this tournament, the development, individual, and as a group. And we can even do it better. I think against France, we’ll do one of the best games we’ve ever done as a team. But against Argentina, I think we have to raise the level because they are the champions. I’m really confident that we can do it.”
Spain raising their level from what we’ve already seen is a scary proposition. When you’ve become known for a song with the line, “Erling Haaland trembles because Cucurella is coming,” you know defense is your calling card
Marc Cucurella’s tenacity is part of what makes this Spain team great as well, and there’s a reason why Jose Mourinho also views him as a key member of his Real Madrid defense and added the left back from Chelsea in a blockbuster move finalized during the World Cup. He’ll lock down a team’s best winger while also getting into the box in order to help out the attack. It’s one of many things that showcase Spain’s selfless approach to soccer.
After leading the Spanish U-23s at the Olympics, de la Fuente took over the senior side in 2022 after managing at every level of the youth game for the national team. That gave him a unique perspective on how to set up the system as a whole to ensure that things from the youth level translate to the senior squad. Then, with the backing of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, both the men’s and women’s national teams have gotten the support that they need to be the best in the world, and it could lead to the first time ever that the same nation could become the current champions of both the men’s and women’s World Cups at the same time.
This shows the care and preparation that has gone into what we’re watching in front of us, but it has also been a gradual process where the fruits of their labor have been rewarded during each stop along the way.
“Our team has matured in the past few years,” Rodri said. “I said this back in the days that this generation was going to be very successful and that the road towards the greatest achievement for a footballer, lifting the World Cup trophy, would actually be a road like this at lower scale. With the Nations League, we showed that we could win titles, then the Euro, as difficult as it is, and then in a World Cup final.”
That process could reach its crowning moment on Sunday, but a little magician in Lionel Messi is standing in the way. Rodri says, however, it would be foolish to focus only on Messi. Lautaro Martinez and Enzo Fernandez were able to score in Argentina’s comeback against England — of course, England also stopped attacking to let that happen, which Spain doesn’t plan to do in their approach.
“Argentina is far more than Messi. They’ve proven that they’re a very complete team with top players. So I think that nowadays we are the best two teams playing in a collective manner as a group,” Rodri said. “Of course, we need to be mindful of Leo, but many other players.”
Even Lamine Yamal, arguably the best young attacking talent in the world, gets back to defend for this team while Pau Cubarsi, who is also a teenager, is looking like he will be one of the best center backs in global soccer sooner than later. If there’s anything that may slow this team, it’s the conditions, as they’ve played six of seven games indoors compared to four of seven for Argentina. While it’s not a ton, matches like this are decided by fine margins, but that doesn’t mean that Spain didn’t prepare.
“Before starting this journey back in May, we had a meeting with the players,” de la Fuente said. “I told them how this unique competition, this unique World Cup, could pan out. The specifications, peculiarities. We talked about humidity, time zones, long travels, heat, recovery, and we ended up saying ‘It is what it is’. So from now on, and since then, no one’s complained. Nothing. No one’s pulled a face, nothing. Everyone’s proud of being here.”
That’s the kind of team mentality that got Spain here, and if they’re able to keep it, then a second star is coming above their crest, but look out, Messi is coming.
