Luis de la Fuente believes Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi is the second-best midfielder in the world behind Rodri following Spain’s World Cup success.
Rodri captained Spain to victory over Argentina in the World Cup final last weekend and also beat Lionel Messi to win the Golden Ball, which is awarded to the best player in the tournament.
Zubimendi, meanwhile, made just one substitute appearance during the World Cup as he replaced Rodri in the first half of extra time in last Sunday’s final.
But despite his lack of minutes during Spain’s World Cup campaign, De la Fuente is keen to stress the importance of the Arsenal midfielder in his squad.
Get personalised football updates every day
Sign up to our daily football newsletter and choose your team to get the latest news, rumours and more direct to your inbox every morning.
In an interview with TVE, De la Fuente was asked about those who doubted Rodri’s impact for Spain before the start of the World Cup and made a point of referencing Zubimendi in his response.
‘With all due respect, and I don’t mean to offend anyone, I said that doubting Rodri was an insult to football intelligence, obviously,’ De la Fuente replied.
‘He’s the best player in the world in his position, knowing that we have Martin Zubimendi behind him, who is also another great player, surely the second best in the world.
‘But we knew we had to follow a process and the deadlines we had set. He improved game by game, and the fact is that Rodri, even at 50 per cent, is better than many other players.’
De La Fuente was also asked about the violent scenes sparked by Argentina’s players and coaching staff after the full-time whistle.
‘At the time of those events, I didn’t realise it. It all happened very quickly,’ De la Fuente said.
‘But, in any case, that is intolerable, unacceptable, and cannot be allowed. There are footballers of that calibre whom I have praised, and they have a fantastic coach who surely suffered just as much as we did seeing those reactions.
‘It’s not tolerable, and what I do think should be highlighted is our behaviour. Faced with that type of aggression, our players always maintained the composure and attitude of good sportsmen and great footballers.’
De la Fuente also insists he would be willing to remain as Spain’s head coach for the 2030 World Cup, which will be held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
‘Am I fully aware of what I’ve achieved? No, no, I’m sure I’m not yet,’ De la Fuente said.
‘I still need a few more days to process everything we’ve experienced, all the emotions, all these last few moments that have been incredibly exciting. I need a few days. I’m starting to understand and see things, but I think I still need a little more time.
‘A while ago, a journalist asked me this question: ‘Luis, would you like to be at the World Cup in Spain?’ Don’t put it in the headline, but if you ask me… how could I not like it?
‘It’s the greatest honour a coach can have, to be the manager of your country, to lead the Spanish national team. How could I not like it?
‘I’m also very short-term thinking, and I’m focused on the matches we have in September and October. The next World Cup seems a long way off.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.