Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Rodri became the first Spanish winner of the Golden Ball since the award was introduced in 1978
As Spain captain Rodri lifted the World Cup trophy high into the New Jersey sky, he added another trophy to his already glittering record.
A Ballon d'Or, one European title, one Nations League, four Premier League trophies, one Champions League and numerous other domestic triumphs. And now the greatest prize of them all.
The Manchester City playmaker has long been revered for his club exploits, but now his stock is at an all-time high as he added world champion to his list of accolades when Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final on Sunday in New Jersey.
Not only did the Spain captain steer his side to a first triumph since 2010 and stitch a second star on the national shirt, but he was also crowned player of the tournament.
The 30-year-old becomes only the fourth men's player to win the World Cup, Euros, Champions League and Ballon d'Or, joining legends Gerd Muller, Franz Beckenbauer and Zinedine Zidane.
But until recently, this level of success perhaps seemed out of reach for Rodri.
After rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in 2024, questions were asked about whether he could ever really return to the heights that saw him clinch the Treble with City in 2023 and claim the Euros with Spain a year later.
Such a major injury takes time to recover from and it is only in glimpses during last season that we saw the Rodri of old.
Now it seems the Spaniard was simply biding his time, patiently waiting for a full return to fitness in order to peak at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Rodri's future in Manchester remains uncertain with only one year left on his contract and Real Madrid reportedly coming knocking.
It begs the question what next for Spain's conductor?
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Dominant Spain beat Argentina to win World Cup after extra time
If 19-year-old Lamine Yamal is the flair and creativity of the Spanish team, Rodri is the puppet master.
His role in the middle of the park may often go under the radar, but he is the one stringing it all together.
Throughout Spain's World Cup campaign he completed 756 passes, the most in a single edition on record since 1966.
He featured in all eight of La Roja's matches en route to glory, topping the metrics for touches (910), passes in the opposition half (428), line-breaking passes (122) - including in the final third (76).
There are only three instances on record (since 1966) of a player completing 100+ passes in a World Cup final. Brazil's Dunga in 1994 (130), defender Pau Cubarsi (121) and Rodri (101) - both in this year's edition.
Image source, BBC Sport Image caption, Rodri's 101 completed passes in the World Cup final was second only to defender Pau Cubarsi (121)
"Rodri was absolutely outstanding," said Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague.
"He is not only the guy who ran the longest in the whole tournament and average per game, the amount of passes he gives to beat defenders, he is at his sharpest, he is at Ballon d'or level. This is Rodri's team."
A second Ballon d'Or does not seem out of reach, although he has perhaps not played enough club football to make him the favourite for the individual accolade in a stacked field.
Rodri is currently being linked with a move to Real Madrid, where returning manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly very keen on the composure, defensive ability and ball control of the former Atletico and Villarreal midfielder.
New City boss Enzo Maresca is unlikely to be interested in letting Rodri go but, with only one year left on his contract, there is naturally a degree of uncertainty about the situation.
One thing is for sure, his performance at this World Cup has placed him as a hot property - one that City would surely not want to part with but would also fetch a premium price if they did.
Returning from an ACL injury is a notoriously difficult task.
Having suffered the injury in September 2024, mere months after Spain's Euros triumph, Rodri missed the rest of that season then featured sporadically last campaign.
He made 33 appearances across all competitions for City but suffered a number of injury setbacks and, at times, looked a shadow of the player he was before the injury.
Former City boss Pep Guardiola predicted in October last year that we would not see the best of Rodri until the World Cup.
And, as has so often been the case, the Catalan was right.
"I've gone through a logical process that every football player has to go through after an injury like this," Rodri said after Spain's triumph.
"It takes a year to get back to your best fitness level and then one more on top of that to feel like yourself again as the player you were.
"You need to be patient, and you need to believe and be confident in yourself."
It was a frank conversation with Guardiola, where Rodri told him he needed to stop to get his body right for the World Cup, that changed the trajectory of his recovery and ensured he was back to his best for the summer tournament.
"To get where I am today in my current form, I had to be clever," Rodri added.
"I had to know when to stop playing and when to carry on when I needed to, and that's part of what you need to do to recover properly.
"It's been a very tough time. I just want the new generations to see my example as an opportunity.
"When you go down, you can rise again. This is my philosophy for my entire life.
"Of course, sometimes things go well, things go wrong, but always the positiveness."
Best goal, best player, best fans - BBC reporters' World Cup awards
Victory for football? Spain beat Argentina to win World Cup
Watch the BBC's closing World Cup montage
Sources: BBC Sport
