Rodri deserves to be in contention to win the Ballon d'Or and has revolutionised the way people look at holding midfielders, believes Lucas Leiva.
Rodri enjoyed another magnificent campaign in 2023-24 as Manchester City retained their Premier League crown, then was named Player of the Tournament as Spain won Euro 2024.
The 28-year-old played 50 matches for City across all competitions last term, with Pep Guardiola's team only losing one of those games – versus Manchester United in May's FA Cup final.
He also contributed eight goals and nine assists in the Premier League last term, both of which represent his best figures in any league campaign.
At Euro 2024, he ranked seventh among all players for open-play passes (430) and fifth for open-play passes in the opposition half (255) as La Roja won their record-breaking fourth European title.
While former Liverpool midfielder Lucas expects Rodri to face fierce competition from Real Madrid pair Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, he feels the Spaniard deserves to be considered among the world's finest players.
"A midfield player, especially a holding midfield player, normally it is not a position that people look at so much. But it is an important role for the team," he told Stats Perform.
"It's a position where you give balance to the team. You allow people to get forward, but you also give protection to the defence. You start everything from that role.
"So, [Sergio] Busquets and now Rodri are playing a big part with Man City, but also with Spain. We could see that at the Euros.
"Of course, Rodri is one of the favourites to win the Ballon d'Or, but I would probably say another two players: Bellingham and Vinicius. I think those three will challenge for the Ballon d'Or, and we'll have to wait and see.
"Of course, Rodri deserves it, but Bellingham and Vinicius deserve it as well for what they've done with Real Madrid and with their national teams, especially Bellingham getting to the [Euros] final.
"We will have to wait and see. But I'm happy to see a holding midfielder on the shortlist because it's a position that people don't look at too much.
"People are starting to appreciate it a little bit more."
Celtic 5-1 Slovan Bratislava: Engels stars as Rodgers' men make dominant start
Celtic placed down an early Champions League marker after hammering Slovan Bratislava 5-1 in Wednesday's opener.
Arne Engels teed up Liam Scales' fierce headed opener in the 17th minute at Celtic Park, before the midfielder himself scored from the penalty spot in the second half.
Kyogo Furuhashi had earlier added Celtic's second goal of the game just nine minutes before Engels' penalty, awarded for a needless pull on Alistair Johnson by Danylo Ignatenko.
Switzerland defender Kevin Wimmer reduced the arrears on the hour with a delightful outside-of-the-boot finish, though Daizen Maeda soon restored the advantage 10 minutes later after linking up with Reo Hatate.
Substitute Adam Idah rounded the scoring off with four minutes remaining, latching onto James Forrest's pass to complete a convincing triumph.
Data Debrief: Celtic firing on all cylinders
Engels' fine individual showing made him only the second player to both score and assist a goal on his Champions League debut for Celtic, after Sweden great Henrik Larsson against Juventus in September 2001.
Brendan Rodgers' side were completely dominant in every aspect, too, accumulating a massive 3.22 expected goals (xG) tally to Bratislava's minimal 0.30.
It was also just the second time Celtic have smashed four or more goals in one match in the competition, having also managed to do so in a 4-3 victory over Juve in October 2001.
With goals coming from all over the place, Celtic had five different scorers in a European Cup/Champions League match (excluding own goals) for the first time since September 1973 against TPS Turku (Dixie Deans, George Connelly, Harry Hood, James Johnstone, Thomas Callaghan).
Arsenal left wanting at Hacken as Man City seize control in Champions League qualifier
Arsenal are facing an uphill battle after a surprise defeat in their Women's Champions League qualifier, though there was no such shock for Manchester City.
Jonas Eidevall's side were defeated 1-0 in the first leg away to Hacken on Wednesday, leaving a comeback needed in the reverse fixture next Thursday.
An error from visiting defender Katie McCabe, who missed a clearance from a diagonal pass, led to Tabitha Tindell's 77th-minute winner at Bravida Arena.
Arsenal face Man City in the Women's Super League between the two Hacken clashes, and Gareth Taylor's side will head into that domestic fixture with growing confidence from a fine European showing.
City ran out comfortable 5-0 winners away to Paris FC, with Vivianne Miedema scoring the opener on her competitive debut for the club.
Jess Park doubled the lead shortly after, and added a second to her own account later on, along with goals for Mary Fowler and Chloe Kelly in a one-sided outing in France.
Elsewhere in the qualifiers, Juventus secured a 3-1 first-leg lead in a battle of two heavyweights with Paris Saint-Germain.
New signing Amalie Vangsgaard opened the scoring against her former club before Thiniba Samoura levelled with a sumptuous equaliser soon after.
Sofia Cantore set up Juve's first and found the net for the home side's second to restore their lead, before Hanna Bennison wrapped up a fine team move to seal a commanding advantage.
There was no such fortune for Juve's fellow Italian side Fiorentina, however, as Wolfsburg produced a 7-0 hammering in the first leg at Viola Park.
Wolfsburg captain Alexandra Popp dominated with a hat-trick, along with a brace from defender Marina Hegering and goals for Jule Brand and Vivien Endemann.
Sparta Prague 3-0 Salzburg: Hosts end 21-year wait for Champions League win in style
Sparta Prague enjoyed a fine return to the Champions League on Wednesday, recording a 3-0 win over Salzburg in their first game in Europe's top club competition in 19 years.
Sparta grabbed an early lead that set the tone for the league-phase opener at the Epet Arena as home fans celebrated their team's first win in the tournament since 2003.
The hosts opened the scoring just two minutes in when Kaan Kairinen pounced on a loose ball after a great save by Salzburg goalkeeper Janis Blaswich, effortlessly slotting home the rebound.
Victor Olantuji then doubled their lead in the 42nd minute, firing in from a tight angle after taking in a long ball over the top from captain Filip Panak.
Olantuji then turned provider as the hosts killed the game off just before the hour mark, assisting Qazim Laci for a coolly struck finish after a cheap giveaway from Salzburg.
Data Debrief: Long wait ends for Sparta
Sparta's victory, their first in the Champions League since beating Lazio 1-0 in December 2003, saw them halt a 14-game winless run in the competition (four draws, 10 losses).
It is also the first time they have ever started a Champions League campaign with a win, on their eighth appearance in the competition proper.
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