Rodri on Real Madrid and his future: “I’ll think about it after the World Cup”

Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner, continues to be linked with a move to Real Madrid, though he remains tight-lipped on the subject. The Manchester City midfielder is currently with the Spanish national team, preparing for the upcoming World Cup. During an open training session for fans and media, the 29-year-old was questioned about Real Madrid's reported interest.

“It’s normal for players’ names to be linked with various clubs,” Rodri stated. “I am the captain of the national team and my focus is entirely on that. My responsibility is to lead Spain to success at the World Cup. There might be noise around me, but from my side, I will concentrate solely on the tournament, and only after it concludes will we see what happens.”

After a season marred by numerous injury absences, the former Villarreal and Atlético Madrid player is now eager to deliver a strong performance.

“I feel in fantastic shape. I joked about it, but for the first time, I’m arriving fresh and without so many accumulated matches. I managed to overcome everything. My club team didn’t achieve all its goals, so I come with fewer games under my belt,” Rodri enthused.

As European champions, the Spanish team is considered among the favorites for the upcoming tournament.

“It’s a compliment that we are considered favorites, but we are not. Still, we don’t think about the labels placed on us. We want to go as far as possible in the tournament. We need to show what we are capable of. Things must be proven, and we must take it step by step. The tournament will be very long. Our performance during the matches will determine our level. It will be a unique World Cup. There will certainly be surprises. We are very happy and excited. The good news is that everyone will arrive healthy for the World Cup, so we can count on all our teammates,” Rodri added.