Rodrigo: "I don't consider myself Spain's no.9 -but I want to play, grow and be a protagonist"

The only player to have featured in all six of Spain's games under coach Luis Enrique, Rodrigo Moreno will have a chance to play in front of his home fans when 'La Roja' visit Mestalla on Saturday. The striker is pleased to be getting minutes for his country, and is excited about the first Euro 2020 qualifying game.

"Having the trust of the coach is a fundamental thing that is very important. I'm playing regularly and feeling confident. Our first games this season, against England and Croatia, were wonderful," he said in Friday's press conference.

"There are times in which you do things well and maybe aren't as effective, but the important thing is to work hard, because nobody forgets how to play football -everything comes back around."

"I'm in great form. We've reached the Copa del Rey final and I'm amongst the best with the national team. All of that motivates you and makes you see that you do things well," he continued.

"I didn't start the season in the best way, but we turned the situation around with hard work and dedication. For me it's important to score again and help the team have a chance of doing great things. I don't consider myself to be Spain's number 9, but from day one I've always wanted to play, grow and be a protagonist."

Speaking about the amount of Valencia CF players -past and present- in the Spain setup, Rodrigo said that "I have a relationship with Sergio Canales and Jordi Alba that goes back to the youth teams for Spain. That's also the case with Juan Bernat. I remember my debut in 2014, against Luxembourg, in which I set him up for a goal. Time flies! It's going to be special to play at Mestalla. I hope we can put on a spectacle."