Zubimendi defends Rodri after Spain's shock World Cup draw with Cape Verde

Martin Zubimendi has defended Rodri after the Manchester City midfielder was heavily criticised for his performance in Spain’s 0-0 draw with Cape Verde at the 2026 World Cup. The result was one of the tournament’s biggest shocks so far, leaving the reigning European champions in a precarious position ahead of their second group game against Saudi Arabia in Atlanta on Sunday.

Zubimendi, who plays alongside Rodri in Spain’s midfield, said he was surprised by the scale of the backlash directed at his colleague. “I haven’t been following it too much, but it surprises me,” the Arsenal midfielder said. “With the midfield Spain have, it isn’t exactly something that slows down the play. We have players with a lot of mobility, with the ability to play with just one or two touches.”

He was unequivocal in absolving Rodri of personal blame. “Rodri has shown just his worth at City, and with the national team. He’s not to blame. He was fine the other day. He’s had better games of course, but we can’t blame him at all.”

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente was even more forceful in his defence of the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, describing the criticism as insulting. “It seems incredibly insulting to me that people would say that about the best player in the world,” De la Fuente told Cadena COPE. “Would people say that about others who are considered the best in the world? I think they wouldn’t dare. Rodri is the best player in the world. Even at 50 per cent, he is better than most other midfielders in the world. He brings clarity, vision, balance. Rodri is an inspiration for us.”

De la Fuente has previously suggested that Zubimendi himself could one day challenge for the Ballon d’Or, though the Arsenal man was quick to play down those expectations. “I’ve got a long way to go,” Zubimendi said. “But it shows the faith he has in me. That’s the message I get from him, and I’m happy.”

Zubimendi also acknowledged a demanding personal season, noting that fatigue had been a factor at points. “It’s been a tough year. I’ve played a lot of games. At one point I felt fatigued, but right now, being here with the national team, I’m fine.”

A second consecutive failure to win against Saudi Arabia would seriously damage Spain’s chances of securing an automatic place in the knockout rounds, piling further pressure on a squad that arrived in North America as one of the pre-tournament favourites.