"Has an innate ability to move in a small space" - Spain star Rodri names England player who must be kept 'under control' in Euro 2024 final
Spain midfielder Rodri has said England talisman Phil Foden will have to be kept "under control" to increase Spain's chances of winning Euro 2024. La Roja reached the final of the European Championship after defeating France 2-1.
Rodri has been at the center of most of what Manchester City and Spain have achieved in the last few years. He has cemented himself as one of the most fierce midfielders on the pitch. His ability to hold the center of the pitch, coupled with a penchant for scoring long-range goals, make him one of the most complete midfielders of the modern era.
In their semi-final game, Rodri was against another celebrated midfielder, N'Golo Kante, but it's safe to say that the Manchester City man won that battle as Spain entered the last stretch for their fourth Euro title.
Rodri said several England players can inflict damage, but Foden's ability to move the ball around in small spaces makes him a dangerous player. Here's what he said (via AS):
"I love Phil Foden because I know him, he's with me. He's a player who has to be kept under control because he has an innate ability to move in a small space. But there are many players who can do a lot of damage. I don't like to focus on one player. I like to take a complete picture of England. And we go with our weapons, one on one."
Rodri will play against his Manchester City teammates Kyle Walker, Phil Foden, and John Stones. He, however, stated that he understands English football well and is confident that Spain will emerge victorious.
He added:
"I know them well, I know the culture of English football perfectly. They have a very talented team, players who can unbalance and who can control all aspects of the game. They defend well, they can attack you, they are good at set pieces. We have to work on how to hurt them. We have our weapons, we are confident that we can beat them."
The final will take place on Sunday, July 14, at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
England to play their first-ever major international final on foreign soil
The Three Lions have entered the final of any major international tournament only thrice. England reached the final of the 1966 World Cup and beat West Germany 4-2, which was their first and only World Cup victory.
The final was played at the Wembley Stadium. The Three Lions reached the final of Euro 2020, which again, was played at Wembley. Despite scoring in the second minute through Luke Shaw, Gareth Southgate's men lost the match 2-3 after it went into penalties.
The Three Lions will play their third major international final in Berlin on Sunday, which will be their first-ever on foreign soil.