Rodri's World Cup stats: 94 completed passes per 90 minutes — a tournament record

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Midfielder’s supreme passing was too much for Argentina to handle in the final but his work without the ball proved just as crucial

Rodri is back to his best after multiple injury problems. The former Ballon d’Or winner has started only 22 games since rupturing his ACL in September 2024 but you would have no idea from his performances at the World Cup that he had suffered so badly in the previous two years.

The 30-year-old was already leading several statistical categories coming into Sunday’s final. He pushed them higher than perhaps even Luis de la Fuente could have hoped. Opta noted ahead of the game that Rodri’s 94.0 completed passes per 90 minutes played was the highest average anyone with at least 400 minutes had ever recorded at a single World Cup. He led the standings for line-breaking passes too.

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