Overview
- Spain beat France 2-0 in Dallas on Tuesday as Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro scored and Rodri anchored a midfield that limited France to an exceptionally low expected goals total and few shots on target.
- Rodri dominated the middle of the park by winning a high share of duels, recovering possession repeatedly and dictating tempo, a performance praised publicly by figures such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and noted across multiple match reports.
- The squad flew to the New York area after the semi and have set up a training base in New Jersey to prepare for the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19.
- Media coverage highlights a personal subplot: Rodri returned from a major knee injury to peak form at the tournament but is widely reported to be expected to undergo surgery after the World Cup, which could delay his availability for the start of the next club season.
- Spain enter the final as a defence-first side that have conceded almost no goals in the tournament, and their tactical possession and pressing plan will face Argentina’s experience and Lionel Messi in a one-off match that will decide a second World Cup title for La Roja.