Spain captain Rodri emphasized that his team enters the World Cup final against Argentina with the ambition of winning the title, stressing that the players are required to have a greater desire to win than fear of losing.

Rodri said during a press conference held at the Javits Center in Manhattan, New York: 'We are coming from a gradual growth process, and we have seen the team mature in recent years. I said earlier that this generation would leave its mark, and the path toward the greatest thing a footballer can achieve is what we have taken: the Nations League, then the European Championship, and now reaching the World Cup final.'

He added: 'We are happy, but our ambition goes far beyond that. On Sunday, we have a very beautiful challenge to make this generation immortal in memory.'

Message to players before the final

The Spain captain pointed out: 'The main goal was to be on Sunday where we will be. We came to win the tournament, and we were convinced that was possible. We will face the toughest opponent, which is the perfect test to see if we are capable of lifting the trophy.'

He continued: 'I told the young players that we must have a greater desire to win than fear of losing.'

Rodri explained: 'There is no fixed playing style for a team; it's about moments in matches and what you think should be done. We haven't seen the same Spain in every match.'

He added: 'On Sunday it will be different, it will be a more direct and physical match. I think what distinguishes us is our ability to adapt to different periods of the match.'

Midfield battle

The Manchester City player emphasized the importance of the midfield area in the match, saying: 'I strongly believe in the importance of the midfield. They have a great midfield, and so do we. I don't think it will be the decisive factor, but the team that imposes its control will have more opportunities.'

Rodri spoke about the psychological atmosphere that may accompany the match: 'Provocations and mind games are another part of the game. I like to think that we are a team that gives its best and takes a different path. If things go in that direction, we must ignore them and not be drawn into provocations.'

Weak point

When asked about the weaknesses of the Spanish team, he replied: 'I won't tell you, otherwise they'll take notes. Like all teams, we have strengths and weaknesses, but I can say that we are a very complete team, it's difficult to beat us, and we handle both penalty areas well and control the midfield. We have weaknesses, but I keep them to myself.'

Praise for Messi and Argentina

Rodri praised Argentina captain Lionel Messi, saying: 'There is no need to talk about what Messi represents as a player and what he means to Argentina. For me, he is undoubtedly the best in history, as he led his team to win the World Cup and reach the final again.'

He added: 'But I think the Argentine team is much bigger than just Messi; it is a very complete team with a very high level. I think we are the two teams that provide the best collective performance.'

He added: 'What accompanies that is great merit... It speaks of the evolutionary path they have undergone. It is the most outstanding team in recent years, and the Argentines deserve a lot of praise. As for us, we try to prove to the world that we can be the best team.'

Rodri concluded his remarks by referring to the Spain team that won the World Cup in 2010, saying: 'A long time has passed since then, and football has changed, but we can draw from them the mentality of achieving something that seemed impossible for our country at that time.'

He added: 'They experienced it with that determination, and that is what I will keep from that generation, it is a positive mentality.'