ސްޕެއިން ކެޕްޓަން ރޮޑްރީ
Spain captain Rodri says his team must raise their game to win the FIFA World Cup when they face Argentina in tomorrow's final.
The final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA, will be Spain's second appearance in a World Cup final.
Rodri, who has won the Ballon d'Or award for the world's best player, said winning the 2023 Nations League and the 2024 European Championship laid the foundations for Spain's current success. He said the team had progressed step by step over the past five years, and stressed that the players should focus on winning the final rather than fearing defeat.
Spain have conceded just one goal in their last seven matches at the tournament. Their 2-0 semi-final win over France was their third consecutive victory against the European powerhouse. After drawing their opening match against Cape Verde, Spain have scored 13 goals in their subsequent matches.
Discussing the final, the 30-year-old midfielder said Sunday's match would be very physical, but that Spain were a complete team capable of adapting their style of play to the circumstances. Goalkeeper Unai Simón's sharp saves and crucial late goals from players such as Mikel Merino have contributed to the team's success.
Coach Luis de la Fuente has addressed questions over whether Spain's young star, 19-year-old Lamine Yamal, will be able to play in the final following a calf injury. The coach said Yamal had joined training with the team and was fully fit. He also said Yamal should not be compared to Lionel Messi, and that the best approach for him was to play his own game.
Saying he was not particularly nervous about the match, coach De la Fuente light-heartedly shared something that did frighten him. He said he had to return to New Jersey by helicopter after finishing his media engagements in New York, and that he was very afraid of the journey. But he said he was very calm about the match.
Comments