Spain midfielder Rodri has openly criticised Cape Verde’s approach following their goalless draw in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Manchester City star expressed frustration over what he described as an overly defensive strategy by the Cape Verdean side, claiming they showed little ambition to move beyond the midfield throughout the encounter.
Speaking to Spanish outlet La 1 after the match, Rodri said the game demanded patience but was ultimately hindered by Cape Verde’s deep defensive setup.
“It wasn’t meant to be. There’s little to complain about,” he stated. “We knew it was a game that required patience. They sat back and dropped very quickly. We created chances but couldn’t finish them.”
Despite dominating possession and limiting their opponents’ attacking opportunities, Spain failed to convert their chances into goals.
Rodri, however, highlighted a positive takeaway from the match, noting that Cape Verde posed minimal threat going forward.
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“The positive thing is that they barely created anything against us. We just need to improve our finishing,” he added.
Spain will now shift focus to their next group-stage fixture against Saudi Arabia, where they will be aiming to secure their first win of the tournament.
Cape Verde, on the other hand, may take confidence from their disciplined defensive performance against one of the tournament’s favourites.
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