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Zlatan Ibrahimovic says Rodri 'doesn't get enough credit' after Spain's win over France
Zlatan Ibrahimovic reserved special praise for Rodri, hailing the Spain midfielder as the standout performer of the semifinal against France.
Spain delivered a complete performance to outclass France and secure their place in the World Cup final. It was a defensive masterclass as they shut down a star-studded attack featuring Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue, keeping a deserved clean sheet. Spain controlled the contest from start to finish, dictating the tempo and denying France any real rhythm despite their wealth of attacking talent. The 2022 finalists struggled to create clear-cut chances, with Spain's disciplined backline and organised midfield ensuring Didier Deschamps' side never looked capable of mounting a comeback.
Pau Cubarsi, Pedro Porro, Marc Cucurella and Aymeric Laporte were rock-solid at the back, while Unai Simon produced an excellent performance in goal. In midfield, however, it was Rodri who truly set Spain apart, dictating the tempo with his composure, intelligence and precise distribution, once again underlining why he remains the heartbeat of this side.
Former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic reserved special praise for Rodri, hailing the Spain midfielder as the standout performer of the night and the driving force behind his side's dominant display against France.
"I have to mention, Rodri was all over the place. What a game, what a player. He's a player who doesn't get a lot of credit, but this game he was everywhere. He was just magnificent. Football won today," Ibrahimovic said on FOX Sports.
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Mikel Oyarzabal gave the 2010 champions the lead with a confidently converted first-half penalty in Arlington, Texas, before Pedro Porro doubled Spain's advantage after the break. France, despite boasting one of the tournament's most feared attacking line-ups, never found a way back into the contest. The two-time champions struggled to break down Spain's disciplined defence and created little of note in a frustrating outing that ended their hopes of reaching a second successive World Cup final.
Ibra hails Spain's approach
Ibrahimovic also praised Spain's intensity and hunger, saying Luis de la Fuente's side looked determined from the opening whistle and outplayed France in every aspect of the game.
"They took the command from first minute until the last minute. They were feeling alive. They were active. They wanted it. They ran those extra meters. Every duel they went in, they wanted to win it. When they were attacking, they were convinced. They took the initiative. You could see every pass they did was like: 'we want this'. And the opposite when it comes to France," Ibrahimovic explained.
