Spain had a nightmare start to the World Cup. Manchester City’s Rodri was at the center of harsh criticism after being drawn away by Cape Verde in the opening game
Rodri faces criticism after Spain’s draw with Cape Verde (Image: Getty Images)
Arsenal’s Martin Zvimendi insists Rodri is not to blame for Spain’s slow start to the 2026 World Cup. The reigning European champions entered the tournament this summer as one of the favorites to win the trophy.
However, they suffered one of the shocks of the tournament, drawing 0-0 with the weaker powerhouse Cape Verde. Manchester City star Rodri was widely criticized for his role in the draw, but Zvimendi believes his midfield colleague cannot claim responsibility.
“I haven’t been following it much, but I’m surprised,” he said. “Spain’s midfield does not slow down play. We have players who are mobile and can play with just one or two touches.”
As for Rodri, he said: “Rodri has shown his worth, both at (Manchester) City and with the national team. It’s not his fault. He was fine the other day. Of course he had a better game, but we can’t blame him at all.”
Zvimendi is not the only player who has come to Rodri’s defense in recent days. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has slammed those who criticize the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner.
“I find it incredibly insulting when people say things like that about the best player in the world. Would they say that about another player who is considered the best in the world? They wouldn’t dare,” he said in an interview on Cadena Corps Radio.
“But because they are Spaniards, we say things about ourselves that we do not say about others… Rodri is the best player in the world. Even at 50 percent, he is better than any other midfielder in the world. He brings clarity, vision, balance. Rodri inspires us.”
Martin Zvimendi stepped up to defend Rodri (Image: Getty Images)
As for Zvimendi, manager de la Fuente also supports him challenging for the Ballon d’Or one day, but the Arsenal midfielder believes that is still a long way off.
He added: “There’s still a long way to go! But it shows the trust he has in me and he knows me well at youth level. That’s the message I got from him and I’m happy.”
“It’s been a tough year. We played a lot of games. I felt tired at one point, but now I’m with the national team, so I’m fine.”
Spain will look to start the World Cup on Sunday when they take on Saudi Arabia in Atlanta. If they don’t win again, their hopes of automatically advancing to the finals will be effectively jeopardized.
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