Rodri: Our Midfield is Better Than Portugal's

Spain captain Rodri believes his team's midfield is superior to Portugal's, despite acknowledging that the Portuguese boast "one of the strongest generations in their history." The two nations are set to clash in the Round of 16 at the North American World Cup.

Roberto Martinez's squad relies on a midfield trio featuring two Paris Saint-Germain stalwarts, Vitinha and João Neves, alongside Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes.

"They are always a tough opponent. They know us well, and we know them. They have one of the best, if not the strongest, generations in their history. We know we have to perform at our absolute best to advance," Rodri stated regarding Portugal.

When asked who possessed the stronger midfield, he responded: "For me, the better team, the better midfield, is ours. They have a fantastic squad, full of stars, top-level players. They have almost everything, but we hope to show that we are better."

Spain has yet to concede a goal at the 2026 World Cup but wasn't particularly convincing in the group stage. "We are capable of much more. We have experience in these tournaments. We know when we need to show our best face, and that's in these moments. In the group stage, you build, you get results, but in the knockout phase, you see the best of Spain. The big things are coming now," Rodri shared.