Rodri prepares for ‘physical football’ clash against Argentina

Spain are preparing for a highly physical clash against defending champions Argentina in Sunday’s high-voltage World Cup final. Spain captain Rodri told a packed news conference in Manhattan that they would focus on playing their familiar football, avoiding any potential “provocations” from the Latin American side.

The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner from Manchester City is the driving force behind Spain’s midfield at the World Cup. He believes the final will be a completely different experience to the European champions’ previous matches. “I think Sunday’s match will be very different. It’s going to be a very physical match, which we have to be prepared for. But one of the special things about this Spain team is that we can adapt to the situation. We can adapt to any situation, whether it’s defending, counter-attacking or attacking football. We are a self-sufficient team, and that’s why we are in the final today,” Rodri told reporters.

When asked about the concerns of Argentine footballers’ provocative behavior on the field, Rodri replied positively, “These are part of football. It remains to be seen how the match progresses. I want to believe that Argentina is a team that gives its best and does not resort to those cheap tricks. But if the match ever goes to that stage, we have to avoid it. We have to play our own game without giving in to any kind of provocation.”

The Spain captain has hailed Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who is set to play in what could be his last World Cup final, as the ‘greatest of all time’. However, he also warned the team that Argentina is not just a one-man team. Rodri said, ‘It is impossible to express in words what Messi is as a player and for Argentina. Of course, in my eyes, he is the best of all time. But Argentina is not only dependent on Messi. They have proven that they are a balanced team built with top-quality players. So, in addition to keeping an eye on Leo, we also have to be careful about the other players.’

Argentina reached the final after a series of dramatic knockout stages, including defeating Cape Verde in extra time and coming back from defeats against Egypt and England to win. Rodri sees the opponent’s journey as a great testament to Argentina’s mental strength. He said, “It shows their extreme fighting spirit as a team. They can come back from any adverse situation, and we are keeping that in mind. We know what kind of team they are. But we will try to hit them with our strengths.”

Spain have reached the final by bottling up the strong attack and midfield of tournament favourites France in the semi-finals. Although the performance against France was considered one of the best performances by the current Spain team, Rodri believes that they will have to take themselves to a higher level if they are to beat Argentina. The Spain captain said, ‘We have to raise the standard of our play even more, because they are the defending champions. But I have full confidence that we can do it.’