Leeds United forward Rodrigo was lambasted by the Spanish press after his first international appearance in more than 18 months. The 32-year-old was handed a start in Spain's Nations League semi-final against Italy on Thursday night.
It was his first appearance for La Roja since coming on as a substitute in a World Cup qualifier in November 2021. But sadly his comeback was brief, lasting just 45 minutes as he was hooked at the break during the game in Enschede, Netherlands.
The Whites' man was replaced at half-time by Marco Asensio with the Spaniards sealing a 2-1 win to set up a final clash against Croatia. Rodrigo was criticised by media in his homeland. Spanish newspaper AS said of his performance: "He was not fresh nor did he make the best decisions in attack. He shot loosely in an action that had better options in more correct positioning. As he was predictable, he was substituted at half time."
