According to Sport, despite Rodri's dip in form, he remains the core of the Spanish midfield.
Rodri is the captain of Spain's new era. With Morata absent, Rodri has taken on a leadership role in the dressing room alongside Unai Simón, Oyarzabal, and Ferran Torres. On the pitch, he remains influential, although his performances have yet to return to the level he reached when winning the Ballon d'Or in 2024. A serious knee injury last season, combined with muscular issues this season, has affected his ability to rediscover that form. Nevertheless, de la Fuente retains full confidence in him.
Rodri is finding it more difficult than before to break up opposition transitions and control the tempo of the game, issues that have affected the entire team. He remains the principal orchestrator in moving the ball from flank to flank, but his passing lacks the urgency it once had, and the team is suffering as a result. Pedri, frequently deployed alongside him, has become the primary outlet for midfield creativity. Without Rodri operating at his best to shield the play, the Tenerife native has had to shoulder more of the ball-playing burden, making him a frequent target for opponents and creating defensive difficulties for him.
However, de la Fuente has shown no intention of changing the captain's role. Even with Martín Zubimendi available on the bench—the Arsenal midfielder arrived at the tournament as a European champion and in excellent form—de la Fuente has other options. Eric García and even Gavi could compete for a midfield spot. Gavi also operated as a left winger in Spain's opening match against Cape Verde.
De la Fuente must nonetheless find ways to establish greater midfield dominance, particularly after some underwhelming recent displays. Aside from the Saudi Arabia game, Olmo’s introduction as a starter proved transformative. However, the coach is reluctant to pair Pedri and Olmo in midfield, believing the combination is too exposed against physically demanding opponents such as Uruguay. Fabián’s role has also been telling; after the Cape Verde opener, he has been reduced to a substitute’s berth.
De la Fuente has numerous midfield options, but against Uruguay, he did not use them optimally. Merino, still finding his rhythm, started, but his impact was limited. Spain struggled and failed to click. Zubimendi and Eric García are the primary candidates for his position, but despite repeated public backing from the coach, neither has received meaningful playing time.
The players have accepted their roles professionally, and their performances throughout the season merit opportunities. The Arsenal midfielder steadied Spain during Rodri's injury absence and performed impressively. His finest display in a Spanish shirt likely came in the 2024 European Championship final, when he came on as a second-half substitute and delivered a masterful defensive midfield performance.
As for Eric García, he was initially called up as a centre-back, but the excellent form of Cubarsí and Laporte has kept him out of the starting lineup. However, the Martorell native could also strengthen the midfield, and his understanding with his Barcelona teammates in that role is evident.
The debate continues, but de la Fuente still appears inclined to stick with Rodri. Against Cape Verde, Rodri played nearly the full match, with Nico Williams brought on late as Spain searched for a winning goal.
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