Born in Madrid on 22 June 1996, Rodri would form a set idea on what his role and style of play should be, no matter what age level he was at, holding in-depth tactical discussions with coaches and former players along the way.

“That’s not normal in a boy his age,” his Atleti Under-12 coach Fran Alcoy recalled. “He was very sharp tactically; it was striking that you could tell him something and you wouldn’t need to explain it again. You could see he would understood completely. I had never coached a player like him.”

Around that time, Rodri was watching those who inspired him the most in the national team, absorbing and taking what he could from the greatest side La Roja had ever produced.

“In 2008, I was watching Marcos Senna and Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta and Santi Cazorla,” said Rodri. “They were the ones that imposed that winning style on the team, a style which evolved and won Spain the World Cup and then another Euros. I watched Busquets especially closely. He, and others, lay down a model of playing I knew I had to follow.

“When I was a kid, I was more interested in understanding football than enjoying it. I was interested in how it worked. I watched a lot of games – my family was sick of it – and I could judge what a player was thinking. I tried to add that to my game; I could see that if I understood the game I would have an advantage, especially at a young age when few players have that conceptual understanding.”

In March 2018, Rodri’s upward trajectory continued as he was handed his international debut for La Roja against Germany, replacing Thiago Alcantara with perhaps a gentle nod to his future role in the side

He had added physical strength and a few more inches in height during that time, convincing Atleti to return for Rodri and agree a fee in the region of 25milion euros with Villarreal in 2018 and take the player back to their new home at the Estadio Metropolitano.

He played almost all the games for Diego Simeone’s side in 2018/19, making 47 appearances in total – and by that time had attracted a number of admirers both in Spain and abroad – Manchester City in particular who had identified the holding midfielder as an heir to Fernandinho’s throne. If Barcelona, rumoured to have shown late interest, had thought the same of a future successor to Busquets, they had left it too late.

Though he had penned a five-year deal with Atleti, City met his buyout clause and after a fee was agreed, he headed to Manchester to continue his club career, taking the vacant No.16 shirt once owned by another ex-Atleti star, Sergio Aguero.

At the time, Txiki Begiristain, then City’s Director of Football said: “Rodri has proven himself to be a hugely talented, young midfielder, who has all the attributes we are looking for.

“He works hard defensively, makes himself available to receive the ball and uses it well when in possession. He is a perfect fit for Pep Guardiola’s team, and we are confident he will be a success.”

Few could have imagined just how much of a success Rodri would be at Manchester City.

With the Spain legend Busquets having announced his retirement from international football by that stage, Rodri was  the natural heir to finally make the role his own.

2023/24 would be another memorable year for Rodri for club and country as he added another Premier League title and starred in Spain’s UEFA European Championship win… which saw him finally avenge the shoot-out loss on the day he was born with victory over England in the final.

Rodri had to be substituted at half-time in that game through injury, but his outstanding displays saw him voted Player of the Tournament, confirming the widely accepted opinion that he was the best holding midfielder in world football.

Of course, this unfettered rise to the top was not without cost, and having spoken about the incessant demands of the physical welfare of footballers and their workloads, it felt particularly cruel when he fell awkwardly in a crucial game against Arsenal after sustaining an ACL injury.

It was also no coincidence that, with Rodri out for the season, City endured one of our most disappointing campaigns under Pep Guardiola.

In simple terms, Rodri was irreplaceable.

Towards the end of 2024, he won the most prestigious individual award any footballer can win as he became our first Ballon’ d’Or winner and the first Spaniard for 64 years to bestowed with the honour.

As he collected his prize, he said: “This is a victory for Spain. I also want to thank my teammates because without them I would not be here as football is a team game. It’s very special for me, Manchester City is the best club in the world, thanks to them things have been much easier.”

Rodri played 33 times for the Blues last season, gradually edging back towards his best along the way, though it was still a stuttered and frustrating campaign with niggles and strains as his fitness was carefully monitored and managed.

He’d done enough to be named in Spain’s World Cup squad having proved his fitness and game by game, the best version of Rodri has emerged at the current World Cup, culminating in a quite wonderful performance against France that saw the tournament favourites exit having been totally outplayed and completely dominated in midfield by City’s No.16.

Reuters journalist Michael Church wrote: “Spain's Rodri put on a midfield masterclass against France on Tuesday, making a long-awaited return to the form that won him the 2024 Ballon d'Or as he anchored ​an imperious display by Luis de la Fuente's team to take them into the ‌World Cup final.

“Twenty-two months after rupturing his cruciate ligament in a clash with Thomas Partey playing for Manchester City against Arsenal in the Premier League, the 30-year-old found the perfect time to again hit the heights of his pre-injury performances.”

Former Swedish international and PSG star Zlatan Ibrahimovic added: "He's a player that doesn't get a lot of credit, gets unseen, but [he] won the Ballon d'Or, which is not normal for the position that he plays in. [Not only does he] put players around him on fire, but he can also put out fires.”