Spain’s captain Rodri emphasized that the team has “room for improvement” following their narrow 1-0 victory over Portugal in the World Cup round of 16.
The match, held in Arlington, Texas, was decided by a last-minute goal from substitute Mikel Merino, while Cristiano Ronaldo exited the field in tears, marking his final World Cup appearance for Portugal. With this win, Spain has secured a spot in the quarterfinals this Friday in Los Angeles.
Rodri, a midfielder for Manchester City, was named the match’s MVP after achieving the highest number of touches (106), passes completed (87), and ball recoveries (7) on the field.
“There’s plenty of room for improvement,” Rodri said when questioned about whether this was Spain’s best performance. “Now we need to rest and continue enhancing our game. Both teams play with similar styles—seeking possession and showcasing personality.”
“It’s the little details that matter,” he continued. “The first opportunity we seized to score was when we got into their space… We need to learn from this for future matches; we can be sharper to capitalize on chances, as we can inflict a lot of damage.”
Coach Luis de la Fuente praised Rodri’s exceptional leadership, saying, “He may have better or worse days, but he stands out as our leader. He provides us with both defensive and attacking balance. That’s why he ranks as the best in the world in his position. And we also have Martín Zubimendi, who is second-best as well. We are fortunate in that regard. Questioning [Rodri] confounds me.”
Spain managed 15 shots on target but only generated two clear opportunities: the first for Mikel Oyarzabal early in the match and the second for Merino.
“In today’s football, you have to accelerate your play in the final third,” Rodri observed. “When we broke through their defense, we sometimes took an extra touch. You need to react quickly and locate attacking players. That’s how the goal was scored.”
This victory marks Spain’s return to the quarterfinals for the first time since their 2010 World Cup triumph. La Roja will face either the United States or Belgium on Friday in Inglewood, California.