New York (AFP) – Spain captain Rodri is bracing for a “physical” battle with reigning champions Argentina when the two sides collide in the World Cup final on Sunday. Rodri told a packed press conference in Manhattan that Spain will aim to ignore any possible “provocations” by their South American opponents and instead concentrate on imposing Spain’s gameplan.
Rodri, the 2024 Ballon D’Or winner who has excelled at the heart of Spain’s midfield during the World Cup, said he expects the final to be unlike any other game the European champions have faced. “I think Sunday’s match will be quite different,” the Manchester City star told reporters. “It will be a more physical one, and we must be prepared. But I believe that if we are known for something in this national team, it is that we know how to play different games based on the moment. So we can adapt to having to defend, counter-attacking, to attacking. We are a very complete team, and that is why we are here.”
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When asked if he expected Argentina to resort to “provocative” tactics, Rodri replied: “Well, that’s a part of football. We will see how the game plays out. I like to think that (Argentina) are a national team that gives their utmost, and they don’t go that down that route. But if we enter such a stage of the game, obviously we must ignore that and try to play our game, so that we don’t fall into provocations.”
The Spanish skipper meanwhile saluted Argentina counterpart Lionel Messi — almost certainly playing in the final World Cup match of his career — as “the greatest of all times.” But Rodri warned that Argentina were more than a one-man band. “It goes beyond words what Messi means as a player and what he means for Argentina,” Rodri said. “Obviously, for me, he’s the greatest of all times. But Argentina is far more than Messi. They’ve proven that they’re a very complete team with top players. So of course, we need to be mindful of Leo, but many other players.”
Argentina reached the final after a roller coaster journey through the knockout rounds, which included an extra-time defeat of Cape Verde and dramatic come-from-behind wins over Egypt and England. Rodri believes those results underscore Argentina’s mental durability. “That speaks volumes for their very competitive character as a national team,” he said. “They are able to come back in the face of adversity and we take that into consideration. But he added: “We know the sort of team they are. We will try to hurt them in the way we can hurt them.”
Spain reached Sunday’s final by stunning tournament favourites France in the semi-finals, shutting down Les Bleus’ vaunted attack and outclassing the French in midfield. Rodri said while that display was “one of the best” the current Spanish side had ever produced, they would need to scale new heights to defeat Argentina. “I think we have to raise the level because they are the champions,” he said. “And I’m really confident that we can do.”
© 2024 AFP
