Manchester City have an array of top class players, from the goalkeeper Elderson, Kevin De Bruyne, Stone, Walker, Foden, Akanji , Erling Halaand the list is endless. However one name stands out it is Rodri.
Full name Rodrigo Hernández Cascante last lost a game in the shirt of Manchester City some 59 games. 395 days.
City’s 3-1 win over Manchester United at Etihad Stadium on Sunday means the 27-year-old is now on the longest unbeaten run in all competitions of any Premier League player past or present.
“It is difficult to understand what we have done in recent years without him. It would’ve been difficult,” City boss Pep Guardiola told the club’s website last month.
The run surpasses that of former Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho (58 games), with Rodri’s last loss in a City shirt coming against Tottenham in February 2023 – although it does include City’s defeat on penalties by Arsenal in the Community Shield.
In that time City have won the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup along with the Uefa Super Cup and the Club World Cup, while Rodri was also part of the Spain team that won the Nations League.
The holding midfielder signed from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for £62.5m in the hope that he would eventually step into the boots of former captain Fernandinho.
Pep Guardiola says Rodri is “unbelievable” and “the best midfield player, currently, in the world by far”.
A humble guy with no social media who studied for a business degree while also assisting City to their fifth Premier League title in 2021 – his second with the club – Rodri does not often receive the plaudits.
“He’s the one who allows your De Bruyne’s, Phil Foden’s and Bernardo Silva’s to do what they do because he’s so good,” said former City forward Paul Dickov.
Guardiola said the holding midfielder should “never, ever be in the highlights” and “do the job he has to do”.
When it comes to individual awards, there are City players more likely to win them. But for the big moments on the pitch, he is as prolific as any of them.
Manchester City are famed for their passing football under Guardiola, the masters of dominating possession.
At the heart of that is Rodri, with the Spaniard topping the charts for most passes attempted and completed by any midfielder across all competitions since his unbeaten run began.
He has the most successful passes per 90 minutes in Europe’s big-five leagues this season and in recent seasons has started to add goals and assists, with seven goals and six assists for City this season.
Manchester City Is Lucky To Have Rodri, He Is The Best Midfielder In The World Right Now-Guardiola
