Spain midfielder Rodri Hernandez wants to bring back his team’s “winning culture” by beating Croatia and winning the Nations League on Sunday.

The player who scored the winning goal for Manchester City in the Champions League final win over Inter Milan last weekend said that only Jordi Alba and Jesus Navas had won trophies with Spain’s national team.

wing-back for Sevilla Navas won the World Cup with La Roja in 2010, and Alba was on the team that won Spain’s last trophy at Euro 2012, which was more than ten years ago.

“It will be very important to win again, after all this time, bringing Spain back to the highest point,” Rodri told a news conference Saturday, ahead of the final in Rotterdam.

“We only have two players who know what it’s like to win. It’s not just important to win but to create a winning culture, we have to understand that we have a unique opportunity.

“We had the chance to win against France in the (2021) final but we couldn’t do it. This will allow us to recover that winning culture.”

Spain also made it to the semifinals of Euro 2020, but Italy beat them on penalties.

Rodri has become a key player in midfield for coach Luis de la Fuente, and the Manchester City player thinks he is at the top of his game.

“I think I am, in terms of maturity, winning titles, it’s a moment I want to extend in the national team,” continued Rodri.

“We have to make it clear how important winning a title is, it would crown a very special season for me.”

Rodri will play against the great Croatian midfielder Luka Modric, who shone in his team’s semi-final win over the Netherlands, where the game is being held.

Spain coach De la Fuente highlighted the pair’s quality.

“They seem two extraordinary players to me,” the coach told reporters.

“I’ve already said, for me Rodri is the best defensive midfielder in the world. And Modric is a world class talent.”

The coach said that the Real Madrid midfielder worried his team, but that Croatia as a whole also worried him.

“He puts us on alert, but not just Modric — Croatia have players of a very high level, that’s why they are where they are,” said De la Fuente.

“We have to be more alert around Modric, paying attention to him.”

De la Fuente said that forward Dani Olmo was healthy enough to play in the final at De Kuip. Olmo missed Thursday’s 2-1 win over Italy in Enschede because he was sick.

Photo by EPA/MAURICE VAN STEEN