The crown of football’s GOAT was surely settled once and for all during the 2026 World Cup.For many, it hasn’t been a debate for some time, while for others it’s been unequivocal for at least a decade or longer.Lionel Messi almost single-handedly dragging Argentina to a second successive World Cup final, scoring eight goals (taking his tally to 15 in 15 appearances since the start of the tournament’s previous edition in 2022), setting up another four for team-mates and doing it at the age of 39, cemented, reinforced and confirmed that, surely, he is the greatest footballer we have seen.But did someone new enter the conversation during the World Cup? No, we’re not talking about Vozinha, the 40-year-old Cape Verde goalkeeper.How about a guy who has just become the seventh player in history to win a World Cup, a European Championship/Copa America, a UEFA Champions League and a Ballon d’Or in their career? (The other six being Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Zinedine Zidane, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Messi.)The same guy was also voted the best player at this World Cup, adding its Golden Ball award to that Ballon d’Or. Only original Ronaldo, Zidane, Luka Modric and Messi have done that.There are some caveats here, like the fact the Ballon d’Or wasn’t open to non-European players until 1995 and the Golden Ball didn’t start being handed out until 1982, so you can add Pele, Diego Maradona and probably Romario to the above names for a start.But either way, is it time we started talking about Rodri as one of the greatest footballers of all time?In terms of achievements in the sport, the 30-year-old, who was instrumental in Spain’s success not only in his exceptional midfield displays but with his leadership as the team’s captain, has pretty much done it all.As well as a World Cup, a Euros, a Ballon d’Or, a Golden Ball and a Champions League (all achieved in the past three years), you can throw in four Premier Leagues, five domestic cups and a Club World Cup (old version) with Manchester City, plus a couple of UEFA Super Cups (one with City, one with Atletico Madrid) and a UEFA Nations League with Spain.It’s a substantial list which will surely be added to in the coming years and, given he has achieved much of it fairly deep into his career, means his potential status among the game’s greats has almost crept up on us, in the manner that Modric’s 2018 Ballon d’Or, aged 33, demanded his elevation into the pantheon of football legends.But does winning so many team prizes alongside those individual accolades give a player automatic inclusion into that conversation? And can a defensive midfielder ever be considered a GOAT?