Rodri: Spain star completes ‘perfect ending’ to comeback story with World Cup glory and Golden Ball

Spain midfielder Rodri has crowned a remarkable return from a serious knee injury by leading his country to the 2026 World Cup title, winning the tournament’s best player award and describing the triumph as a “perfect ending” to an extraordinary journey.

The Manchester City star spoke to Reuters after Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final, securing La Roja’s second World Cup crown and adding the Golden Ball to an honours list that already includes the European Championship, the Champions League and the Ballon d’Or.

‘From the top, down to hell, and back again’

Rodri revealed that his crowning moment in world football had come less than two years after he suffered a torn cruciate ligament – an injury that can derail a player’s career.

He said his story should serve as inspiration to others facing similar setbacks.

“I feel like it is the perfect ending to a complete story, honestly, I did not expect this,” he said.

“I hope that the younger generations see that a player who reaches the top, then goes down to hell, can come back again. It is a message about how to overcome adversity.”

Rodri’s comments underline the scale of his turnaround since the serious knee injury which threatened to halt his progress at club and international level.

‘This is the secret of the national team’

While Rodri collected the Golden Ball as the tournament’s outstanding player, he was adamant that Spain’s success in 2026 was built on collective strength rather than individual brilliance.

He hailed the spirit within the squad, insisting the triumph was the product of relentless work and unity.

“This is the secret of the national team. We never stop trying and in the end God rewards you, we have been brave,” he said.

“We are living our happiest moments, this group is exceptional, we have become world champions for the second time, this was the hardest tournament in World Cup history.”

Spain’s victory in the final, secured deep into extra time, sealed a flawless campaign in which they combined defensive resilience with attacking fluency, restoring them to the summit of world football 16 years after their first World Cup win in 2010.

Respect for Messi and Argentina

Rodri also took time to praise beaten finalists Argentina, and in particular their captain Lionel Messi, who at 39 was bidding to add a second consecutive World Cup to his glittering career.

“We beat a great Argentinian team that includes Lionel Messi, the best player in history,” Rodri said.

Argentina, champions in 2022, found clear chances hard to come by in the final, but Rodri stressed that this was a reflection of their organisation and experience rather than any lack of threat.

“Argentina are the 2022 world champions, and they did not create many chances, but they are a team that is difficult to break down,” he added. “Spain are simply a fantastic team, and in the end the result was fair.”

Golden Ball caps historic night

The final whistle in the extra-time victory over Argentina marked only the start of Rodri’s celebrations, as he was later named the recipient of the Golden Ball for the 2026 tournament.

That individual accolade, awarded to the best player at the World Cup, completed a clean sweep of major honours for the 30-year-old, who has become one of the defining midfielders of his generation.

By helping Spain reclaim the world title while personally overcoming a career-threatening injury, Rodri has etched his name into World Cup history – and, as he hopes, offered a powerful example to any young player confronting their own moment of crisis.