Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has called Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi the second-best player in the world in his position behind Rodri.
The praise came after Spain beat Portugal 1-0 to reach the World Cup quarter-finals. Mikel Merino scored the stoppage-time winner to set up a last-eight tie with Belgium.
Metro reported De la Fuente’s comments after the Spain manager discussed his midfield options following the Portugal win.
Zubimendi has not yet played at the World Cup this summer. De la Fuente has left the Arsenal midfielder on the bench for all five of Spain’s matches.
That makes the quote more striking. Spain’s manager still placed Zubimendi directly behind Rodri in his role, despite Rodri remaining the team’s first-choice midfield leader.
🗣️Spain manager Luis de la Fuente thinks that #Arsenal man Martin Zubimendi is in the top two defensive midfielders in world football right now: “Mikel Merino is a fantastic player for everything he gives us, and I also want to highlight the contribution of the players who come… pic.twitter.com/VZghqkpLNs
— Arsenal News Channel (@Arsenalnewschan) July 7, 2026
Arsenal Get Zubimendi Reminder
De la Fuente described Rodri as Spain’s guiding light. He then said Zubimendi sits just behind him among midfielders in that position.
For Arsenal, the praise underlines why Mikel Arteta pushed to sign Zubimendi from Real Sociedad.
The 26-year-old played a key role in Arsenal’s Premier League title win last season. His control, positioning and passing range gave Arteta another elite option in midfield.
ReadArsenal recently covered Merino’s decisive Spain moment against Portugal, which kept another Arsenal player in the tournament spotlight. Zubimendi’s praise adds a different layer because it came without minutes on the pitch.
Spain’s depth may still limit his role. Rodri remains difficult to displace, and De la Fuente clearly views him as central to the team.
Even so, Zubimendi’s standing inside the Spain camp remains obvious. Arsenal will welcome that recognition, while also hoping he returns fresh for Arteta’s title defence.