The 2026 FIFA World Cup marked the crowning achievement of the career of Rodrigo Hernández Cascante, better known as Rodri.
The Spanish defensive midfielder not only lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy as captain of La Roja, but was also named the tournament’s Best Player, earning the Golden Ball Award after leading Spain to a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final at New York/New Jersey Stadium, United States, on Monday, July 20, 2026.
The award completed an extraordinary journey for Rodri, who has transformed a devastating injury into a remarkable story of triumph over the past two years.
Even more impressively, he now joins three football legends—Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, and Zinedine Zidane.
They belong to an elite group of players who have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA European Championship, the UEFA Champions League, and the Ballon d’Or—four achievements widely regarded as the ultimate symbols of a footballer’s career.
Less than two years ago, Rodri’s future was clouded by uncertainty.
A serious knee ligament injury led many to question whether the Manchester City midfielder would ever return to his best form.
Some even believed the injury could bring an end to his reign as one of the world’s finest midfielders.
Rodri answered every doubt in the most emphatic way possible.
He returned to lead Manchester City, helped Spain win UEFA Euro 2024, claimed the 2024 Ballon d’Or, and completed his remarkable comeback by winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Golden Ball Award.
“It feels like the perfect script. Honestly, I never imagined all of this would happen,” Rodri said after receiving the Golden Ball Award, as quoted by Reuters.
More than simply collecting trophies, Rodri hopes his journey will inspire younger generations.
“I want young people to see that a player who once touched the sky, then fell into hell, can still rise again. This is a lesson in how to overcome adversity,” he said.
With the World Cup triumph, Rodri’s list of achievements is now nearly complete.
He has won the 2026 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2024, the UEFA Champions League with Manchester City, and the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
For Rodri, these accomplishments are even more meaningful because they were all achieved within a relatively short period.
No Goals, Yet the Tournament’s Best Player
Interestingly, Rodri’s Golden Ball Award was not earned through goals or assists.
Throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he did not record a single goal or assist.
That, however, is precisely what made his performances so exceptional.
Rodri was the heartbeat of Spain’s team.
He dictated the tempo of matches, disrupted opposition attacks, maintained balance between defense and midfield, and served as the starting point for nearly every attacking move by La Roja.
Although his influence was rarely reflected in traditional statistics, it proved decisive in Spain’s march to the title.
That impact ultimately convinced FIFA to name Rodri the tournament’s best player, ahead of Lionel Messi, who had been considered the leading favorite after recording eight goals and four assists.
Messi received the Silver Ball, while the tournament’s top scorer, Kylian Mbappé, was awarded the Bronze Ball.
FIFA’s decision also ended a long-standing trend associated with the Golden Ball Award.
Since the award was introduced in 1982, only a handful of players have won both the Golden Ball and the FIFA World Cup in the same tournament.
Rodri became just the fifth player in history to combine the tournament’s Best Player award with a World Cup winner’s medal.
Before him, the exclusive list included:
- Paolo Rossi (Italy, 1982)
- Diego Maradona (Argentina, 1986)
- Romário Faria (Brazil, 1994)
- Lionel Messi (Argentina, 2022)
The achievement is made even more remarkable by the fact that during six consecutive World Cups between 1998 and 2018, the Golden Ball was awarded exclusively to players whose teams failed to win the tournament.
Despite being Spain’s driving force throughout the competition, Rodri refused to take individual credit.
According to him, Spain’s success was built on collective strength.
He said the team’s unity was the key factor behind their return to the top of world football.
“We are now two-time world champions. This was the toughest World Cup tournament in history. We defeated Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, the greatest player of all time,” he said.
Rodri also paid tribute to Argentina, describing them as an exceptionally difficult opponent.
“Argentina were the reigning world champions. They didn’t create many chances, but they were extremely difficult to break down. However, Spain played very well, and in the end, I believe we deserved this result,” he said.***
