Rodri played the full 90 minutes and wore the captain’s armband as Spain beat Saudi Arabia 4-0 in Atlanta on Sunday night.
The Manchester City midfielder helped La Roja respond to their opening Group H draw with Cape Verde by controlling a one-sided World Cup fixture from the base of midfield. Spain moved to the brink of the Round of 32 with a result that restored momentum and gave Rodri a timely boost before his 30th birthday on 22 June.
Lamine Yamal opened the scoring after 10 minutes, turning in Mikel Oyarzabal’s cross at the far post. Oyarzabal then scored twice in three first-half minutes, with former City defender Aymeric Laporte involved in the build-up for one of those goals.
Rodri gives City a timely World Cup marker
According to Manchester City’s official match report, Rodri won his 64th Spain cap and completed the match as Luis de la Fuente’s side added a fourth shortly after half-time, when Hassan Al Tambakti turned Marc Cucurella’s effort into his own net.
City supporters will care less about the scoreline than Rodri’s sharpness. After a demanding club season, the sight of him captaining Spain, dictating rhythm and lasting the full match offers reassurance during a summer when Pep Guardiola’s successor will need senior players to return in condition.
Jeremy Doku was also noted in City’s round-up, although the Belgian winger missed Belgium’s 0-0 draw with Iran. For Rodri, the night was far more positive: a commanding display, a clean Spain response and another step towards the World Cup knockouts.
