Rodri remains intent on "building a legacy" to replicate the greatness of Spain's "golden generation" as La Roja prepare to meet France in the Euro 2024 semi-finals on Tuesday.
Luis de la Fuente's side are the only team to win all five matches so far at the tournament in Germany, with their next challenge an out-of-sorts Les Bleus in Munich.
That Spain form has drawn many comparisons to the La Roja side that triumphed in back-to-back Euros across 2008 and 2012, lifting the World Cup between those successes.
Rodri has been compared to legendary Spanish midfielders Xavi and Andres Iniesta, both integral to those aforementioned triumphs, though the current international says they started from scratch, too.
"That golden generation, when it started, wasn't," the Manchester City star said at Monday's pre-match news conference. "We have to build the legacy. We are the same.
"We know the team we have, but we don't think about that. We have a very difficult, very tough match. We will have to put in an optimal performance, better than good, to get to the final."
Spain have produced many "optimal" performances since the start of 2023, winning 15 of 19 games under De la Fuente – their 79% win ratio in that period is the best of any European nation.
Yet they meet 2022 World Cup finalists France for a place in the final, with Didier Deschamps' side desperate for improvements at the Euros.
Kylian Mbappe was expected to star at the tournament but has just one goal from 20 shots, a group-stage penalty against Poland.
Deschamps hinted that Mbappe is struggling for fitness ahead of Tuesday's clash, though Rodri suggested the Les Bleus boss may be attempting to deceive Spain.
"I don't trust what they say, to be honest," Rodri responded when Mbappe's fitness was questioned.
"I know the player he is and that he can make a difference. He doesn't have to be good or bad. He's a threat."
Mbappe has scored just once from 34 attempts at the European Championship, a contrast to his record at the World Cup, where he has managed 12 goals from 39 shots.
Rodri has no doubts Mbappe will pose France's main threat, yet warned over Les Bleus' collective quality.
"France is more than Mbappe," the midfielder said. "They are strong at the back, I wouldn't like to single out individuals."
Spain will have their own star attackers, however, with wing wizards Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal catching the eye and the imagination of La Roja supporters.
Yamal already has three assists in Germany, with no Spanish player ever registering more at a single European Championship tournament.
The Barcelona winger's chances created are also the most by a teenager at a major tournament that Opta has on record (since 1966 for World Cup, 1980 for Euros).
"What I can say is that he is focused on the team," Rodri added on his teen team-mate. "He wants to listen and improve with the people around him."
Bayer Leverkusen 2-3 Leipzig: Visitors fightback halts unbeaten streak for Alonso's side
Bayer Leverkusen suffered their first defeat in 36 Bundesliga matches, as Leipzig came from behind to stun Xabi Alonso's side 3-2 at BayArena.
Lois Openda struck twice for Marco Rose's, who recovered from 2-0 down to make it two wins from two and move to the summit of the table.
It looked like business as usual for the reigning Bundesliga champions when they scored twice in the last seven minutes of the first half through Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo.
However, Leipzig replied deep into first-half stoppage time with Kevin Kampl reducing the deficit.
Openda then brought the visitors level in the 57th minute, before a stunning long-range strike completed the turnaround 10 minutes from time, condemning Leverkusen to their first league defeat in 15 months.
Data Debrief: Leverkusen's long streak comes to a shuddering halt
Leipzig became the first side to beat Leverkusen in a Bundesliga match since Bochum achieved the feat a staggering 462 days earlier.
The visitors have begun a Bundesliga season with two wins from two for only the second time, also doing so in 2019-20.
They are also now unbeaten in 13 league matches, their longest such streak since Rose took charge.
As for Leverkusen, their invincible streak is officially history, as is their 29-game unbeaten run on home soil.
'We really let ourselves down' - Coleman slams Everton after late Bournemouth collapse
Seamus Coleman acknowledged Everton "really let ourselves down" and must "look at ourselves in the mirror" following their spectacular late collapse against Bournemouth.
Sean Dyche's side, who were seeking their first points of the season, led 2-0 in the 87th minute at Goodison Park through goals from Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
However, the hosts were undone by three crosses in the latter stages, with Antoine Semenyo pulling a goal back and Lewis Cook levelling, before Luis Sinisterra completed a sensational turnaround in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Boos rung around Goodison Park as the Toffees remained pointless and rooted to the foot of the Premier League table, and Coleman echoed the supporters' frustrations.
"We really let ourselves down in front of our fans," the skipper said. "We cannot take our foot off the gas at this level. Unfortunately, we did that.
"We cannot be conceding the goals that we did. We have to look at ourselves in the mirror."
Meanwhile, Dyche bemoaned the lack of responsibility amongst his players, as they became the first side in Premier League history to lose a game after leading by two or more goals in the 87th minute.
"We did so much right until they scored their first goal," the Everton head coach said. "The game should have been out of sight. We conceded one and then threw it away. I can't put my finger on it right now.
"They kept raining it forward and got their reward in the end. They were playing it forward and crossing it into the box, and we didn't deal with it. Simple stuff, but we threw it away. It is the third game we have thrown away this season.
"Everyone was looking at someone else to deal with things and that is when there is trouble. You could see the body language change. You have to see games through, and we have enough experience to do that, but today we didn't."
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola added: "It was the worst game we played this season. Everton deserved to win today, but the players kept pushing.
"I always have hope because this team has spirit. We have done it before and had some good comebacks. The spark of the first goal made us believe we could do it again."
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Wolves: Bellegarde beauty earns visitors first point
Wolves earned their first point of the Premier League season following a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest.
Chris Wood's towering header was cancelled out by Jean-Ricner Bellegarde's stunning strike as the spoils were shared at the City Ground.
The hosts took the lead in the 10th minute as Wood rose to nod home from Elliot Anderson's corner.
However, the visitors were level just two minutes later in spectacular fashion, with Bellegarde firing a stunning long-range volley into the roof of the net.
Gary O'Neil's side had Sam Johnstone to thank after the break, with the debutant producing a strong hand to deny Wood his second goal of the game.
Matheus Cunha curled a shot just wide while the offside flag denied Wood later on, with Forest unable to snatch victory but extending their unbeaten start to the campaign.
Data Debrief: Wolves end losing streak while Wood matches Collymore
After opening the season with two defeats and eight goals conceded, Wolves stopped the rot with a welcome point against their Midlands rivals, while ending a five-game Premier League losing streak in the process.
Meanwhile, Forest remain unbeaten in their opening three games of a top-flight season for the first time since 1995-96.
Heading his side into the lead, Wood became only the second Forest player to score in both their first two home matches in a Premier League season since Stan Collymore 30 years previously.
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