Wednesday 15 / July / 2026
Texas: Spain's Rodri hailed his side's collective performance after La Roja defeated France 2-0 to book a place in the FIFA World Cup final, saying composure and teamwork were the keys to overcoming one of the strongest teams in the tournament, according to The Athletic.
Speaking to Fox, as quoted by The Athletic, after the semifinal victory, Rodri praised every member of the squad for contributing to what he described as Spain's best display of the competition.
"It was a collective effort from everyone. We did the best performance so far. What a team (France). What strength they have in all the lines, they can punish you in every moment. Every single minute was key. I cannot say one player, everyone who played and everyone who came on did it. We showed the character we have in the team and how mature we are in big moments," Rodri said.
The midfielder said Spain's ability to remain calm under pressure proved decisive against a quality French side.
"To wait for your moments, to not get crazy if they punish you because they are a very good team. Composure is the key of this team. It means a lot; we have only been (to the World Cup final) twice in our history. It's so difficult to arrive here, but we want to win this World Cup," he added, as quoted by The Athletic.
Looking ahead to the final, Rodri said the team would focus on recovery and preparation for another difficult challenge.
"We need to rest, see what we can improve, and we can expect an even tougher game in the next one," he said.
Spain defeated France 2-0 in the FIFA World Cup semifinal at Dallas Stadium to book a place in the final. Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Pedro Porro, who was named Player of the Match, sealed the victory with a second-half goal.
Spain will face either England or Argentina in the final at New York New Jersey Stadium. The win also extended Spain's unbeaten run to 37 matches, equalling Italy's record, while France will play in the third-place playoff.
