'Disaster' to 'winning machine' - is Rodri the best in the world?

With one defeat for club or country in the past 18 months, Manchester City's Rodri has a strong claim to be the most influential player in the world right now.

In that time the Spain holding midfielder, 28, has won the Champions League, two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, Uefa Super Cup, Club World Cup, Nations League and Euro 2024.

Next up for Rodri is Sunday's game against City's title rivals Arsenal.

He missed the start of the season with a hamstring injury, having played 63 times for City and Spain last term, but returned against Brentford last weekend.

This week he claimed players are "close to" striking over the football calendar, and added: "If it keeps this way, it will be a moment that we have no other option."

Since Rodri's debut for City in 2019 they have lost 24% of matches without him in the team compared to 11% with him.

With the Ballon d'Or winner to be named next month, BBC Sport looks at just how important Rodri is.

The midfield maestro

Rodri has helped Manchester City to be champions of England, Europe and the world

Rodri had big boots to fill when he joined Manchester City with Fernandinho considered by some the best defensive midfielder to ever play in the Premier League.

However, Rodri has made the position his own and now has to be ranked along with the greats like Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira and Claude Makelele, but with more passing in the opposition half and less tackling and more Champions League final winning goals.

But it did not start off so smoothly, according to the Spaniard anyway - who said his first season at the club was a "disaster".

"The holding midfielder is the guy on the pitch with more responsibilities," he told BBC Sport in a recent interview - which you can watch on BBC iPlayer.

"You have to make sure team works and nobody is lazy or distracted. When the team doesn’t work it’s kind of your fault.

"You’re like a coach on the pitch. I’m not Pep [Guardiola] in the pitch in that sense because he overthinks the situation. I’m more simple."

But Rodri admits it did not necessarily come naturally to him in 2019 when the club signed him for a then club record £62.8m from Atletico Madrid.

"Maybe if the teams change and go from five to four, I have to be 'instead of three at the back we have to do two and one here'. It’s something I’ve learned.

"In my first year I was a disaster. I was like 'I don’t even know what you’re talking to me about, just let me play football'."

Mike Minay, BBC Radio Manchester's City commentator, said: "When Rodri deputised on his own in that first season it was difficult to see how he was ever going to break out of Fernandinho’s shadow and emerge as the standout figure he is now.

"But then in his second season - a classic Pep Guardiola player symptom - he became pivotal. He made the role his own.

"He was able to break up attacks from the opposite, utilise Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin de Bruyne in more advanced positions, and be the metronome in midfield – never passing for passing sake but there to help open up spaces and be available to support others."

In Europe's top five leagues, Rodri leads the way for passes, successful passes in the opposition half and successful passes ending in the final third - not bad for a defensive midfielder.

Second place on those three lists are Brighton defender Lewis Dunk, Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos and iconic former Barcelona and Paris St-Germain star Lionel Messi.

Can you spot the odd one out there? Yes that's right, it's Messi - because he was not at Euro 2024 like Rodri, Dunk and Kroos.

Only Arsenal counterpart Declan Rice is above Rodri for possession won in Europe's major leagues in that time.

On top of that Rodri scored one of the biggest goals in City's history - the only goal in the Champions League final win over Inter Milan to seal the 2022-23 Treble.

He scored a career-best nine goals last season, including two crucial late strikes in Premier League games and a goal in the title-clinching 3-1 win over West Ham.

"I think in his position, he’s up there with one of the best City have ever had, if not the best," added Minay.

"He superseded Fernandinho and then some. Yaya Toure, another crucial figure in City’s modern history - but I think Rodri surpasses him too. A real pleasure to watch, a passionate player and ultimately, City’s best."

Rodri is also a star for his country and was named the best player at Euro 2024 as he helped Spain to lift the trophy, beating England in the final - albeit he was replaced at half-time in that match through injury.

The winning machine

When City lost the FA Cup final to Manchester United it marked the first time Rodri had lost a game for the club in 75 matches.

Four trophies, one game lost, read his 2023-24 record for City and Spain.

He is still unbeaten in 51 league games - which is the best run anybody has had in Europe's top five leagues since his move in 2019.

Spain team-mate Dani Carvajal, the Real Madrid right-back, is next on 41, a run that ended in 2022.

That stat is even more remarkable when you consider City lost three league games last season - and Rodri barely misses a match.

Last season he was suspended for those three matches - the only three games he was not in the squad for. He did not feature in one other game, a win over Luton in April, but he was on the bench for that and would presumably have come on if they needed him.

So 0% Premier League defeats with him in the team and 75% with him not.

"When City were charging for a fourth successive title, by March - with the FA Cup and Champions League still on the cards - Rodri was moaning about being exhausted, concerned for his body," said Minay.

"Yet, City couldn’t afford to rest him. He was that crucial. He continued to play. For club and country in the 2023-24 season he played 63 games."

City's record since Rodri joined is much, much better when he is in the team - winning 74% and losing 11% of games, compared to 64% wins and 24% losses when he misses out.

When you factor in that importance to such a dominant team - City have won the past four league titles and a Champions League - it is hard to argue against him being the most influential player in the world.

Rodri is also on a fine run for his country and has not lost since a Euro 2024 qualifier against Scotland in March 2023.

Just how good is he?

The Ballon d'Or winner for the world's best player will be announced on 28 October.

Rodri is the bookmakers' second favourite, behind Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr, to lift the award.

With Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo winding their careers down outside of Europe, the award seems up for grabs in a way it has not for 15 years.

No defensive midfielder has won it since Lothar Matthaus in 1990.

French football journalist Julien Laurens, speaking on the BBC's Euro Leagues podcast, said: "Rodri has been the best player in the world for two seasons now. He's been outstanding in his position.

"He's not a goalscorer, he doesn't do nutmegs and skills and dribbling. But in his position, he is maybe the most intelligent player in the world right now.

"He's been super decisive - he scored in the Champions League final the season before.

"For me he deserves the Ballon d'Or more than anyone else."

Minay said: "No player in City’s history has ever won the Ballon d'Or.

"Erling Haaland’s barnstorming first season still saw him fall short when everyone thought he might scoop it.

"City are backing Rodri heavily from the inside. They feel he’s their best shot at the award from their nominated players in the men’s category."

And what does Rodri himself think about the award? He would become the first Spanish player to win the award since Luis Suarez in 1960.

"It would be a dream, of course, because I never thought I could arrive to this stage," said Rodri.

"I know I play a different role from most players that are nominated for these trophies but it also shows that football can be beautiful in different views, it can be beautiful playing as a midfielder or scoring goals or being a defender.

"We know how football works. There are a lot of people that appreciates the role of a midfielder so let’s see what happens."