Graeme Souness has pulled no punches in his assessment of Declan Rice following England's agonizing semi-final elimination from the World Cup. The 27-year-old Arsenal midfielder started all but one game during the tournament but fell short as the Three Lions suffered a late 2-1 defeat at the hands of old foes Argentina.
Awarded to the tournament's best player, the Golden Ball is decided by media representatives from a shortlist selected by the Technical Study Group (TSG).
Spain captain Rodri Hernandez has issued a rallying cry to his team-mates as La Roja prepare for their second-ever World Cup final. Despite a dominant tournament run, the Manchester City midfielder insists that the job is far from finished ahead of a heavyweight clash with Argentina in New Jersey.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has heaped praise on "magnificent" Manchester City midfielder Rodri after Spain’s clinical victory over France secured their spot in the World Cup final. The legendary Swedish striker also suggested that "football won" after seeing Spain's free-flowing style get the better of a disappointing France side.
Spain midfielder Rodri has hit out at the officiating standards during La Roja's World Cup semi-final victory over France, claiming teenage sensation Lamine Yamal is not being afforded enough protection. Despite securing a place in the final, the Manchester City star expressed his frustration at the rough treatment handed out to the Barcelona wonderkid.
Against all the odds and pre-match conjecture, it is Spain who progressed to the final of the 2026 World Cup after overcoming France and their fabled forward line with alarming ease in Dallas on Tuesday. It was quite incredible just how routine the 2-0 victory was, with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele all failing to show up as the tournament favourites bowed out with a whimper.
Spain secured their place in the 2026 World Cup final with a comprehensive 2-0 win over France on Tuesday. A penalty from Mikel Oyarzabal and a second-half strike from Pedro Porro secured victory for La Roja during a dominant display in Dallas that will have struck fear into both England and Argentina as they prepare for their own semi-final.
When Spain's starting line-up for last week's World Cup quarter-final against Belgium was revealed roughly an hour before kick-off, the name of Pedri was immediately conspicuous by its absence. The natural assumption among pundits and supporters was that he was carrying a niggle - which tells you everything you need to know about just how highly the Barcelona star is rated.
Spain captain Rodri believes his side has what it takes to overcome France in their blockbuster World Cup semi-final clash in Dallas. The Manchester City midfielder is drawing confidence from recent victories over Les Bleus as La Roja aim to reach their first global final since 2010.
Spain captain Rodri has called on teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to control his "anxiety" and desire to impress as La Roja prepare for a monumental World Cup semi-final against France. The Manchester City midfielder believes the Barcelona youngster remains a vital component of the team but needs to rediscover his composure to reach peak performance.
Spain midfielder Rodri has issued a formal apology to his former Manchester City team-mate Bernardo Silva following a heated on-field altercation at the end of their World Cup knockout match. The fiery incident overshadowed Spain's dramatic 1-0 victory in Dallas, which secured La Roja a spot in the quarter-finals and knocked Portugal out.
Enzo Maresca’s tenure at Manchester City has been hit by a significant setback before he has even overseen a competitive fixture, with midfield lynchpin Rodri set to undergo surgery. The Spanish international is carrying a mystery injury and is expected to miss the opening weeks of the 2026-27 campaign.
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has strongly defended Rodri after criticism emerged following La Roja's goalless World Cup 2026 opener against Cape Verde. The Manchester City midfielder was accused of slowing Spain's play, but the head coach dismissed those claims and insisted the midfielder remains the best player in the world.
Spain started their 2026 World Cup campaign in disappointing fashion as they were held to a 0-0 draw by tournament debutants Cape Verde. Despite boasting a squad of global superstars, the European champions could not find a way past the African side's resilient defensive block.
Manchester City have been warned that they will find it “hard” to keep Rodri if Real Madrid come calling, with Peter Reid telling GOAL why more prominent figures are likely to follow Pep Guardiola out of the Etihad Stadium. A summer of change is on the cards, with it possible that a Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder will form part of what could become an elaborate refresh.
Luis de la Fuente has robustly defended Gavi after the Barcelona youngster faced a backlash for a heavy challenge on team-mate Rodri during a Spain training session. Despite the tackle causing a brief injury scare for the Manchester City anchor, the national team boss insisted he has no desire to see the midfielder tone down his aggressive style.
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