SportFootballWorld Cup 2026Spain endured a nightmare start to their World Cup campaign, having been held by Cape Verde in their opening game with Manchester City’s Rodri at the heart of severe criticism19:14, 20 Jun 2026Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi insists Rodri can’t be blamed for Spain's slow start at the 2026 World Cup. The reigning European champions headed into the tournament as one of the favourites to claim the trophy this summer.‌But they were held to one of the shocks of the tournament so far after drawing 0-0 with minnows Cape Verde. Manchester City star Rodri received widespread criticism for his role in the draw but Zubimendi believes that his midfield colleague cannot claim the responsibility.‌"I haven't been following it too much, but it surprises me," he said. "With the midfield Spain have, it isn't exactly something that slows down the play. We have players with a lot of mobility, with the ability to play with just one or two touches."‌On Rodri, he added: "Rodri has shown just his worth at [Manchester] City, and with the national team. He's not to blame. He was fine the other day. He's had better games of course, but we can't blame him at all."Zubimendi is not the only one to have leapt to Rodri’s defence over recent days. Spain boss Luis de la Fuente hit out at those criticising the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner.Speaking to Cadena COPE radio, he said: "It seems incredibly insulting to me that people would say that about the best player in the world. Would people say that about others who are considered the best in the world? I think they wouldn't dare.‌"But because they're Spanish, we say things about our own that we wouldn't about others... Rodri is the best player in the world. Even at 50 per cent, he is better than most other midfielders in the world. He brings clarity, vision, balance. Rodri is an inspiration for us."When it comes to Zubimendi, De la Fuente has also backed him to one day challenge for the Ballon d’Or but the Arsenal midfielder believes that is some way off yet.‌He added: "I've got a long way to go! But it shows the faith he has in me, he knows me well at youth level. That's the message I get from him, and I'm happy.""It's been a tough year. I've played a lot of games. At one point I felt fatigued, but right now, being here with the national team, I'm fine."Spain will hope to get their World Cup finally up and running on Sunday as they take on Saudi Arabia in Atlanta. Another failure to win would put their hopes of an automatic spot in the knockout rounds in real jeopardy.Article continues belowJoin our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌Arsenal FCManchester City FCRodriWorld Cup 2026Spain football team