Rodri was amazed by Spain's maturity after their team successfully advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals.

Spain, nicknamed the "La Roja," defeated a strong Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, thanks to a late goal from Merino. Manchester City star Rodri expressed his amazement at the team's maturity and praised Merino for stepping up for the team again in a crucial moment.

In the second half stoppage time, Spain won a free kick. Ferran Torres played a through ball to Arsenal midfielder Merino, who fired a low shot into the net, giving Spain a 1-0 lead.

In the end, Spain defeated Portugal 1-0 and advanced to the quarterfinals.

In a post-match interview, Spain captain Rodri said, "I think the maturity the team showed today was impressive because we were always able to accurately predict the course of the game."

“We wore down our opponents and eventually got our chance to break through. We didn’t create many opportunities, but we still found a gap, and Merino once again stepped up at the crucial moment.”

Rodri pointed out, "I think their midfield played very well, and our performance was equally excellent. Pedri is as good as ever, and he did his best to help me cover the defense."

"This may not be his strongest suit, but he consistently pressed hard and tried to win back possession, which was outstanding. As for the substitutes, Merino, Fabian Ruiz, and others were all impressive."

Spanish defender Cucurella said, "I think the truly great and winning teams are often the best defensive teams, and that's exactly what we've been working on. It's not just the defenders and goalkeeper who deserve credit, but the result of the whole team's efforts, including our high pressing, blocking passes, and communication with each other."

"I hope we can continue to maintain this performance, because as long as we can shut out our opponents, I think we will be one step closer to victory."

Cucurella also stated, "This is a very important step. Portugal has many extremely talented players, and they have previously defeated us in the UEFA Nations League. It was a tough match, and one we've been looking forward to. I think reaching the quarterfinals is something we really deserve to celebrate like we did after the game."

"It was a very close match, and there were many moments when we had to withstand the pressure, but we always stayed focused and gave it our all. I think we deserved this victory."

Image source: Internet