Rodri (footballer, born 1996) facts for kids
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Rodri in 2019
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Rodrigo Hernández Cascante | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 22 June 1996 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Madrid, Spain | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Manchester City | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Rayo Majadahonda | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2013 | Atlético Madrid | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Villarreal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | Villarreal B | 39 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2018 | Villarreal | 63 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Atlético Madrid | 34 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019– | Manchester City | 196 | (23) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Spain U16 | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Spain U19 | 8 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Spain U21 | 6 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018– | Spain | 68 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:53, 19 May 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:00, 10 July 2026 (UTC) |
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Rodrigo Hernández Cascante (born on June 22, 1996), known to many as Rodri, is a talented Spanish professional footballer. He plays as a defensive midfielder for the English club Manchester City and is the captain of the Spanish national team. Rodri is famous for his excellent passing, calm play, and strong physical presence on the field. Many consider him one of the best midfielders in the world.
Rodri started his senior career playing for Villarreal and Atlético Madrid in Spain. In 2019, he moved to Premier League club Manchester City. He helped his team win the league title four times in a row from 2021 to 2024. In the 2022–23 season, Rodri was a key player when Manchester City won a historic "treble" – winning three major trophies in one season! This included their very first UEFA Champions League title, where Rodri scored the winning goal in the final and was named the best player of the tournament.
Rodri also plays for his country, Spain. He joined the senior national team in 2018 and has played in two European Championships (in 2020 and 2024) and two FIFA World Cups (in 2022 and 2026). He helped Spain win the UEFA Nations League in 2023, where he was named the best player of the finals. He was also a crucial part of Spain's victory at Euro 2024, earning him the title of Player of the Tournament. In 2024, Rodri received the prestigious Ballon d'Or award, becoming the first Manchester City player and only the second Spanish male player to win it.
Contents
Rodri's Football Journey
Starting Young
Rodrigo Hernández Cascante was born in Madrid, Spain, on June 22, 1996. He began playing football at a young age, joining Atlético Madrid's youth academy when he was 11 years old in 2007. A few years later, in 2013, he left Atlético and joined Villarreal.
While still a junior player, Rodri made his first senior appearance for Villarreal's reserve team in February 2015. He later made his debut for Villarreal's main team in December 2015 in a cup match. His first game in La Liga, Spain's top league, was in April 2016. Rodri quickly became a regular player for Villarreal and scored his first goal in the top league in February 2018.
Playing for Top Clubs
Atlético Madrid Return
On May 24, 2018, Rodri returned to his former club, Atlético Madrid. He signed a five-year contract. Just a few months later, on August 15, he played in the 2018 UEFA Super Cup against their city rivals, Real Madrid. Atlético Madrid won that exciting match 4–2.
Joining Manchester City
In July 2019, Manchester City in England paid a record fee to bring Rodri to their club. He signed a five-year contract with them. Rodri made his debut for Manchester City in the 2019 FA Community Shield in August 2019, helping his new team win on penalties. He scored his first goal for City in September 2019.
Winning Big with Manchester City
Rodri quickly became a key player for Manchester City. In March 2020, he scored a crucial goal in the EFL Cup final, helping City win the trophy for the third time in a row.
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From 2020 to 2024, Rodri was a vital part of Manchester City's incredible success. He helped them win the Premier League title four times in a row. In the 2022–23 season, he played a huge role in the team winning a historic "treble" – the Premier League, FA Cup, and their first-ever UEFA Champions League title. Rodri scored the only goal in the Champions League final against Inter Milan, making him the hero of the match. He was even named the best player of the entire Champions League tournament that season!
In September 2023, Rodri received his first red card in the Premier League. Manchester City lost the next three games he missed due to suspension, showing how important he is to the team. On May 19, 2024, Rodri scored a vital goal that secured Manchester City's 3–1 win over West Ham United on the final day of the season. This victory made City the first club in English history to win four consecutive league titles. Rodri also reached an amazing milestone of 50 consecutive undefeated Premier League matches with his club.
Injury and Return
In September 2024, Rodri suffered a serious knee injury (ACL and meniscus tear) during a match against Arsenal. This meant he would miss most of the 2024–25 season. Despite his injury, he was awarded the prestigious 2024 Ballon d'Or in October 2024, recognizing his outstanding performances. Rodri made his comeback from the long-term injury in May 2025, returning to play in a match against Bournemouth. He continued to play a key role in the 2025–26 season, helping City win the FA Cup and EFL Cup.
Representing Spain
Youth and Senior Team Debut
Rodri played for Spain's national teams at different youth levels, including under-16, under-19, and under-21. He was first called up to the senior Spanish national team in March 2018 for friendly matches. He made his debut for the senior team a few days later.
Although he didn't play in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Rodri was soon a regular for Spain. He made his competitive debut in September 2018 in a big 6–0 win against Croatia. He scored his first goal for Spain in November 2020 during a UEFA Nations League match against Germany, which Spain won 6–0.
European Championships and World Cups
Rodri was part of Spain's squad for the Euro 2020 tournament. He played in several matches, helping his team reach the semi-finals. In October 2021, he also played in the Nations League finals, where Spain finished as runners-up.
For the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Rodri was chosen for Spain's squad and even played as a central defender in some matches. Spain reached the round of 16 in that tournament. After a legendary player, Sergio Busquets, retired from international football in December 2022, Rodri took over his important role as Spain's main defensive midfielder. He even captained the team for the first time in March 2023.
UEFA Nations League Victory
In June 2023, Rodri was a star player in the 2023 UEFA Nations League Finals. He played in both the semi-final and the final, where Spain won against Croatia in a penalty shootout. Rodri scored his penalty kick and was named the best player of the entire tournament! In March 2024, he captained Spain again and scored two goals from penalty kicks in a friendly match against Brazil.
Euro 2024 Triumph
In June 2024, Rodri was selected for Spain's squad for UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany. He earned his 50th cap (international appearance) for Spain in a warm-up match. Rodri played a huge part in Spain's journey to win the Euro 2024 final. He had an amazing tournament, scoring one goal and showing incredible passing accuracy. Spain defeated England 2–1 to win their fourth European Championship. Rodri was recognized as the best player of the tournament for his outstanding performance. During the celebrations for their Euro 2024 victory, Rodri and captain Álvaro Morata faced consequences for comments made, which resulted in a one-match ban from UEFA.
2026 FIFA World Cup
In May 2026, Rodri was named in Spain's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Rodri's Playing Style
Rodri is known for being a very strong and tall player. His physical strength helps him win many tackles and challenges against opponents, as well as aerial duels (when players jump to head the ball). He is also very accurate with his passes, usually completing over 90% of them.
Rodri is a versatile player, meaning he can adapt to different situations on the field, and he is very smart tactically. He often plays as a "holding midfielder," whose main job is to win the ball back in the middle of the field and then pass it to start attacks for his team. He is excellent at keeping possession of the ball even when under pressure.
Under his coach, Pep Guardiola, Rodri's role as a defensive midfielder has become even more important. He often positions himself between the central defenders to help build up play from the back and keep the team in control of the ball. His precise passing and awareness of space are crucial to Manchester City's system.
Besides his defensive skills, Rodri also has great passing ability and vision, allowing him to be a "deep-lying playmaker" who starts attacks from deep in midfield. He is also known for setting the pace of the game. Sometimes, he has even played as a central defender for the national team. Rodri has also improved his goalscoring, especially with powerful long-range shots, like the one that won the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final. Even though he isn't known for being super fast, he is praised for being able to catch up to quicker attackers. In 2024, Rodri won the Ballon d'Or, a huge award that recognized his amazing performances.
Life Off the Pitch
While he was a youth player at Villarreal, Rodri studied at the Jaume I University for four years. He earned a degree in business administration and management. At university, he met his long-term girlfriend, Laura, who was studying medicine. Rodri prefers to stay away from social media.
Career Highlights
Atlético Madrid
Manchester City
- Premier League: 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
- FA Cup: 2022–23, 2025–26; runner-up: 2023–24
- EFL Cup: 2019–20, 2020–21, 2025–26
- FA Community Shield: 2019
- UEFA Champions League: 2022–23; runner-up: 2020–21
- UEFA Super Cup: 2023
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2023
Spain U19
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2015
Spain U21
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2017
Spain
- UEFA European Championship: 2024
- UEFA Nations League: 2022–23; runner-up: 2020–21
Individual Awards
- Ballon d'Or: 2024
- UEFA Champions League Player of the Season: 2022–23
- UEFA Champions League Team of the Season: 2022–23
- Premier League Goal of the Month: November 2021
- UEFA Nations League Finals Player of the Tournament: 2023
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2015
- PFA Team of the Year: 2022–23 Premier League, 2023–24 Premier League
- Premier League Fan Team of the Season: 2023–24
- FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2023
- IFFHS Men's World Team: 2023, 2024
- IFFHS Men's UEFA Team: 2024
- IFFHS World's Best Player: 2024
- Globe Soccer Awards Best Midfielder of the Year: 2023
- The Athletic Premier League Player of the Season: 2023–24
- The Athletic Premier League Team of the Season: 2023–24
- The Athletic European Men's Team of the Season: 2023–24
- UEFA European Championship Player of the Tournament: 2024
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2024
- FIFPRO Men's World 11: 2024
- FIFA Men's World 11: 2024
Statistics
Club Performance
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Villarreal B | 2014–15 | Segunda División B | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
| 2015–16 | Segunda División B | 32 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 34 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 39 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 41 | 2 | |||||
| Villarreal | 2015–16 | La Liga | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | La Liga | 23 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 4 | 1 | — | 31 | 1 | |||
| 2017–18 | La Liga | 37 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | — | 47 | 1 | |||
| Total | 63 | 1 | 11 | 0 | — | 10 | 1 | — | 84 | 2 | ||||
| Atlético Madrid | 2018–19 | La Liga | 34 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 3 | |
| Manchester City | 2019–20 | Premier League | 35 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 4 |
| 2020–21 | Premier League | 34 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | 53 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 33 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 7 | |
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 36 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 56 | 4 | |
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 34 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 50 | 9 | |
| 2024–25 | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2025–26 | Premier League | 21 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 33 | 2 | ||
| Total | 196 | 23 | 22 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 54 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 298 | 28 | ||
| Career total | 332 | 28 | 37 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 72 | 4 | 14 | 1 | 470 | 35 | ||
International Appearances and Goals
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2018 | 4 | 0 |
| 2019 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 9 | 3 | |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2026 | 9 | 0 | |
| Total | 68 | 4 | |
- Spain score listed first, score column indicates score after each Rodri goal
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 November 2020 | La Cartuja, Seville, Spain | 17 |  Germany |
3–0 | 6–0 | 2020–21 UEFA Nations League A | |
| 2 | 26 March 2024 | Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain | 49 |  Brazil |
1–0 | 3–3 | Friendly | |
| 3 | 3–2 | |||||||
| 4 | 30 June 2024 | RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany | 53 |  Georgia |
1–1 | 4–1 | UEFA Euro 2024 |
See also
In Spanish: Rodri Hernández para niños
