Rodri speaks up about how Lamine Yamal was treated before the World Cup final in FIFA complaint.
Rodri has spoken out about the refereeing at the World Cup after Spain secured their spot in the final on Tuesday night.
Spain pulled off an impressive 2-0 win over pre-tournament favorites France, setting up an exciting final against either England or Argentina on Sunday in New Jersey.
Mikel Oyarzabal’s penalty in the first half gave Spain the lead, and Pedro Porro’s sharp goal around the 60-minute mark made it 2-0, extending Spain’s winning streak against France to three matches.
The amazing performance from La Roja was led by Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who controlled the game alongside Fabian Ruiz.
At 30 years old, Rodri completed 87% of his passes, won 11 duels, and drew three fouls – showing once again why many see him as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world.
While Rodri earned big praise for his game at Dallas Stadium, he wasn’t happy with the refereeing.
Throughout the tournament, refs and VAR have been criticized for some wrong decisions, and that continued in the semi-final.
Rodri quickly pointed out that referee Ian Barton and his team didn’t protect 19-year-old Lamine Yamal enough, who was fouled several times.
“It’s clear,” Rodri said. “We’ve seen too many fouls in three games. We’re talking about 10 or 15 fouls where Yamal went down. If the refs don’t call them, defenders will keep doing it. The refs were too lenient, especially today. But Yamal still played a great game.”
Yamal’s quick thinking earned Spain the penalty against France when Lucas Digne mistimed a clearance and kicked through the young player.
If Spain wins the final, Yamal could become the fifth-youngest World Cup winner ever, while Rodri could join an exclusive group of players who have won the World Cup, Champions League, and Ballon d’Or.
No matter who wins between England and Argentina, they will face a tough challenge against Spain.
Spain can either keep denying England after stopping them from winning Euro 2024 or stop Argentina from winning back-to-back World Cups.
For Rodri, it’s a chance to make history and become the first Spaniard to win the World Cup, Champions League, and Ballon d’Or—a very special achievement that will motivate him to go all the way.