Luis de la Fuente Defends Rodri Amid Criticism

Luis de la Fuente did not bother to hide his irritation.

Barely days after Spain opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a flat 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, the national coach has launched a fierce defence of Rodri, dismissing claims that the Manchester City midfielder is suffocating Spain’s attacking play.

The criticism has centred on one idea: that Rodri’s presence at the base of midfield slows Spain’s transitions and blunts their cutting edge. De la Fuente, speaking to El Partidazo de Cope, treated that argument with open disbelief.

“Good heavens, please. For you to say things like this,” he snapped, before turning the conversation on its head. For him, the notion that Rodri is a problem is not just wrong. It is offensive.

“Some people can say one thing or another, but in any case, I find it highly insulting to say that about the best player in the world,” he said.

De la Fuente didn’t hedge, didn’t soften the claim. He doubled down.

“Rodrigo is the best player in the world, and even at 50% he's much better than most midfielders in the world. Even at 50%,” he insisted, underlining just how central the midfielder remains to Spain’s plans. “And with us, he's a player of exceptional importance, with fantastic clarity and vision, balance. Rodrigo is a guiding light for us.”

Those are not the words of a coach considering a tactical rethink. They are the words of a man who has built his entire structure around one player and has no intention of shifting course after one goalless draw.

The debate, though, goes beyond Rodri himself. De la Fuente used the moment to point at what he sees as a wider double standard in how Spanish players are treated compared with other global stars.

“Would they dare say that about other players who are also considered among the best in the world? Would they dare? I don't think so,” he said, his frustration clear. “But since they're Spanish, and you can say things about our players that you don't say about others.”

In other words, this is not just a tactical argument for De la Fuente. It is a question of respect — for his midfielder, for his dressing room, and for the status of Spain’s leading figures on the world stage.

The stalemate with Cape Verde has already triggered familiar murmurings about Spain’s tempo and their ability to turn control into goals. De la Fuente, though, has drawn his line early: Rodri is non‑negotiable, the compass in the middle of the pitch.

The critics want Spain to speed up. The coach prefers to trust the man he calls his “guiding light.”