According to Globo Esporte, Czech national team coach Santi Denia recalled Spanish midfielder Rodri's youth training days in an interview, revealing that he had discovered the unique talent of the Ballon d'Or winner while coaching at Atlético Madrid's youth academy.

Saturday's UEFA Nations League match between Spain and the Czech Republic held special significance for Santi Denia. The current Czech coach would be reunited with several players he had worked with during his time coaching Spain's youth teams, including Rodri.

In the COPE radio program "El Partidazo", Denia recalled the midfielder's early days at Atlético Madrid's youth academy, when he was still far from becoming a professional player. Before joining the Spanish Football Federation, Santi Denia worked in Atlético Madrid's youth system. It was during that period that Rodri's tactical intelligence already stood out, in stark contrast to his physical condition at the time.

Denia revealed: "There was a short kid in the youth team back then, because he was really small, but he always thought a step ahead of everyone else." He recalled a conversation with Amorortu, the head of Atlético Madrid's youth academy: "This player is special, but he's too short."

Amorortu, in turn, called for patience and pointed to genetic factors: "Look at his parents. We have to wait for him to grow."

Later, Denia coached the midfielder again in the Spanish U-17 national team. Rodri made his debut in a Spain U-16 match against Switzerland, when his physical development was still incomplete. Denia emphasized: "He was a short kid, but he was the best, he understood everything." He specifically noted Rodri's impressive predictive ability—a quality that would help him win the Ballon d'Or years later.

Due to doubts about his potential at Atlético Madrid, Rodri decided to move to Villarreal in June 2013. At his new club, he progressed through the youth and reserve team system before breaking into professional football. The midfielder later grew to over 1.90 meters tall and embarked on a career that saw him return to Atlético Madrid, establish himself at Manchester City, and recently join Barcelona, while also becoming a key figure in the Spanish national team.

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