Man City World Cup 2026 Watch: Rodri left frustrated in Spain’s drab draw vs Cape Verde | OneFootball

Rodri captained his side in 87 minutes during Spain’s frustrating 0-0 draw against Cape Verde in their 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage opener.

In one of the most stunning World Cup upsets in recent memory, tournament debutants Cape Verde defied the odds by holding second-ranked Spain to a frustrating goalless draw in their Group H opener in Atlanta.

Despite entering the match sitting 67th in the global rankings and representing the third-smallest nation ever to qualify, the underdogs entirely neutralised the reigning European champions.

Spain looked sluggish in the final third, and whenever they did threaten, they were repeatedly thwarted by misses – including a close-range Ferran Torres effort that struck the crossbar – and an inspired performance from 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha.

La Roja attempted to ignite their stagnant frontline in the second half by introducing Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal for his highly-anticipated World Cup debut. While the teenager brought immediate energy, he ultimately could not find the decisive breakthrough against a resolute defence anchored by Shamrock Rovers’ Roberto Lopes; who himself produced a world-class block to deny Mikel Oyarzabal.

As the final whistle approached, the structural desperation of the favourites nearly proved fatal as Spain narrowly escaped a catastrophic opening-day defeat when Cape Verde defender Diney Borges directly tested Unai Simón with a late header from a corner.

Rodri’s match statistics vs Cape Verde

136 Touches (Most)116 Accurate Passes91% Pass Accuracy8 Accurate Long Balls3 Recoveries3 Chances Created3 Aerial Duels Won2 Tackles2 Ground Duels Won2 Touches In Opposition Box1 Clearance1 Headed Clearance

Data courtesy of Fotmob.