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Report nowRicardo Rodriguez (33) reveals what it's like to travel to a World Cup without a contract, what it means to him that his family will be there and talks about Cristiano Ronaldo and his future. Francisco, the younger brother, also grabs the blue Sport microphone for a few questions.
Ricardo Rodriguez, you are about to play in your fourth World Cup. What does that mean to you?
A lot. A World Cup or European Championship is the highlight of football for me personally. More important than the Champions League. With the three European Championships, this will be my seventh final tournament. And I've always been fit, I've always played. I'm very grateful for that. When I became a professional footballer, it was always my goal to play in a European Championship or World Cup. But I never thought there would be so many. There are so many great footballers who never got to play in the finals.
The 'eternal Rodriguez' is already playing his 4th World Cup this summer.
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At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo is about to play in his sixth World Cup.
What can I say about that? You can only take your hat off. It's unbelievable. A super professional, it's great that he can be there.
Are you still playing football at 41?
I don't know. Who knows? Maybe I'll still play somewhere with colleagues just for fun. But I don't plan that far in advance. I don't even know where I'll be playing next season.
Your contract with Betis Sevilla is coming to an end. What is it like to fly to the World Cup without a contract?
It's certainly not easy that I don't yet know what will happen after the World Cup. That's in the back of my mind. But I know that I can deal with it. I'm already familiar with this situation from the 2024 European Championships, where I was also without a contract.
You'd better not get injured ...
... yes, that would be bad. If I were to get seriously injured, it wouldn't be easy to find a new club. But don't worry, I can put it out of my mind.
Two years ago, little was missing and you would have switched to FC Sion. Could you imagine returning to Switzerland now?
Yes, I've been playing abroad for 14 years now. I've played in the Bundesliga, Serie A and LaLiga. The next step has to be carefully considered, not just for me, but also for my family. Our older son Santiago will be 5 and will soon be starting school. But I myself am open to anything. I could imagine playing in the USA, staying in Spain or going back to Italy. Dubai, Qatar, Japan - I'm not ruling anything out. But now it's time for the World Cup.
If you compare the four World Cup squads, where would you place the current team?
The mix is very good, there are a lot of experienced players and young talents who are already very advanced. We can play a great World Cup. But it's difficult to compare the different national teams. I prefer not to do that.
So far, you've always failed in the round of 16. In 2014 against Argentina, in 2018 against Sweden and in 2022 against Portugal. Which was the most bitter defeat?
They were all bitter in their own way. Against Argentina, Blerim Dzemaili hit the post in the 121st minute. In the end, we lost 1-0 to a very strong team in extra time. We should be proud. Four years later against Sweden, we were better and should have won. That's why I was more annoyed by that defeat.
And the 1:6 against Portugal four years ago?
Portugal were a strong team, clear favorites and better than us. From that point of view, our elimination was okay. But it didn't have to be a 1:6. That was very bitter. We certainly didn't do well that day. Virtually everything that could go wrong did go wrong.
Which round of 16 would you most like to play again?
All three. Because I think we could have got more out of each one. Every elimination was bitter.
Are you finally going to beat this curse of the round of 16?
We'll give it our all. We'll see if we can go beyond the round of 16. Of course that's our goal.
Are you dreaming of the quarter-finals?
No. I'm dreaming of the final. But I guess every footballer who plays in a World Cup does.
Santiago, your eldest son is four and a half. This will be the first World Cup in which he will see you on the pitch. How nice is it that he is now watching from the stands?
It's very nice that my family is in the USA and that Nicole and the boys are watching me. Cruz doesn't know anything yet. And Santiago doesn't yet know the significance of a World Cup either. But he now understands that my job is to be a professional soccer player. That I play football when I'm not at home.
Ricardo Rodriguez with his sons at Real Betis.
Instagram / @rrodriguez.68
Little Cruz will be two on July 14. It's the day of the first World Cup semi-final.
I didn't know that. (Smiles). He was born on the day of the European Championship final. So now it's a semi-final. It would be nice if we could still be there on his birthday.
Who are the top favorites for you?
If I had to name two, it would be France and Portugal.
Your father is Spanish. What about the Spanish?
Also a great team, but I would rate France and Portugal a little higher.
