Only ten players in football history have done it, and Rodri stands on the brink of becoming the eleventh. The Spain midfielder is just one World Cup victory away from completing the most exclusive trio of trophies in the sport, a feat that would put him alongside absolute legends of the game. He already holds both the Champions League and the Ballon d’Or, and now, at 30 years old, he is on the cusp of true immortality.
Rodri’s Path to Greatness Has Been Relentless
Let’s be real, Rodri has been absolutely dominant for years. We saw him play a totally decisive role in Manchester City’s first-ever Champions League triumph back in 2023, scoring the only goal in that gritty 1-0 win against Inter. It was a clutch moment, a performance that defined their season. Then, a year later, came the individual recognition, perhaps the biggest of his career: he lifted the Ballon d’Or. That put him in an even more elite category, making him only the second Spanish player to ever win the award, following Luis Suárez Miramontes way back in 1960. He’s been anchoring Luis de la Fuente’s midfield for Spain throughout this tournament, setting the tempo on both sides of the ball, and he looks completely back to his best after battling through some injuries for months. His game reading, his composure under pressure, and his ability to keep everything ticking over make him one of Spain’s most important players. Honestly, it’s getting harder and harder to argue against Rodri being one of the standout midfielders of his generation, and when it comes to the holding midfield role, he has already earned his spot among the best to ever play the game.
The Legends Rodri Is About to Join
Think about the company he is about to keep. Just ten players have managed to win the Ballon d’Or, the Champions League, and the World Cup. It is a list absolutely packed with the greatest names football has ever produced. Lionel Messi, for example, is the most recent to join, winning a ridiculous eight Ballon d’Ors and four Champions League titles before finally leading Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, where he was also named the tournament’s best player. Zinédine Zidane is another member, taking both the Ballon d’Or and the World Cup in 1998 as France lifted the trophy on home soil, then scoring one of the most iconic Champions League goals ever for Real Madrid in the 2002 final. Ousmane Dembélé is the other Frenchman on the list, winning the World Cup in 2018, his first Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain in 2025, and later the Ballon d’Or. Brazil has more representatives than any other country, including Ronaldinho, who won the World Cup in 2002 and the Champions League four years later, with the Ballon d’Or between those triumphs. Kaká followed in 2007, a member of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning squad, who inspired AC Milan to Champions League glory before winning the Ballon d’Or in the same year, famously interrupting the Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo era. Rivaldo rounds out the Brazilian trio, picking up the Ballon d’Or in 1999, winning the World Cup in 2002, and adding the Champions League with M.
So, it all comes down to Sunday. Spain faces Argentina in the World Cup final, and if they can get over the line, Rodri won’t just lift another trophy, he’ll etch his name into football immortality. He’s been immense, a true leader in midfield, and everyone will be watching to see if he can deliver the performance of his career when it matters most.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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