ARLINGTON, Texas — Moments after a tense, high-stakes World Cup round-of-16 clash that saw Spain edge out Portugal 1-0 to secure a quarterfinal spot, 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri has opened up about a heated in-game exchange with his former Manchester City teammate Bernardo Silva, admitting his on-field celebration was out of line.
The match, held on Monday, remained deadlocked until Spain secured a winning lead, holding onto the narrow advantage through 90 minutes of regular play. Deep into six minutes of stoppage time, Silva — who this summer left Manchester City after his contract expired to join Real Madrid — had a golden late opportunity to level the score and send the game to extra time. The Portuguese playmaker’s header, however, sailed over the crossbar, leaving him crumpled on the pitch with his head buried in his hands, devastated by the missed chance.
In the heat of the moment, Rodri, Spain’s starting midfielder, approached the downed Silva and raised a clenched fist in a provocative, celebratory gesture. The reaction from Silva was immediate: he stood up, brushed past Rodri’s outstretched arm, and confronted the Spain international directly, pointing squarely at his face to express his anger.
The two midfielders know each other well, having lined up together in Manchester City’s central midfield from 2019 until Silva’s summer departure. In post-match comments to reporters, Rodri made clear he regretted the split-second decision, saying he had already apologized directly to Silva after the final whistle.
“I made a mistake, because I celebrated when he had missed,” Rodri told the press. “I apologized to him immediately. But that’s all, because of the trust we have.”
The result sends Portugal packing from the 2026 World Cup, while Spain moves forward to face Belgium in the upcoming quarterfinal match.