Rodri (footballer, born 1996) facts for kids
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Rodri with Spain in 2026
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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 | 70 | (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 22:05, 19 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. He is also one of only eleven players ever to have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and the prestigious Ballon d'Or award!
Before joining Manchester City in 2019, Rodri played for Villarreal and Atlético Madrid in Spain's top league, La Liga. At Manchester City, he helped his team win the league title four times in a row from the 2020–21 to the 2023–24 seasons. In the 2022–23 season, Rodri was a key player when Manchester City achieved a "continental treble". This means they won three major trophies: the Premier League, the FA Cup, and their very first UEFA Champions League title! Rodri even scored the winning goal in the 2023 Champions League final and was named the best player of that tournament.
Rodri also plays for the Spanish national team, having previously played for their youth teams. He first played for the senior team in 2018. He represented Spain in two European Championships (in 2020 and 2024) and two FIFA World Cups (in 2022 and 2026). In 2023, he helped Spain win the UEFA Nations League and was chosen as the best player of the finals. He was also a vital part of Spain's victory at Euro 2024, where he was named the Player of the Tournament. Most recently, at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Rodri received the Golden Ball award for his amazing performances as Spain lifted the World Cup trophy!
Rodri has received many individual awards, with the most important being the 2024 Ballon d'Or in 2024. He is only the second Spanish male player to win this incredible award, after Luis Suárez in 1960. He is also the first player from Manchester City to ever win the Ballon d'Or.
Contents
Rodri's Football Journey
Early Life and First Steps
Rodrigo Hernández Cascante was born in Madrid, Spain, on June 22, 1996. When he was 11, in 2007, he joined the youth team of Atlético Madrid. However, in 2013, he left the club because they thought he wasn't physically strong enough. After that, he joined Villarreal.
Even though he was still a junior player, Rodri played his first senior game for Villarreal's reserve team on February 7, 2015. He came on as a substitute in a match they won 3–1. Just two weeks later, he started his first game, which his team won 2–0.
Rodri's first game for Villarreal's main team was on December 17, 2015, in a cup competition called the Copa del Rey. He then made his debut in La Liga, Spain's top league, on April 17, 2016.
By December 2017, Rodri was a regular player for Villarreal and signed a new contract. He scored his first goal in La Liga on February 18, 2018, in a 1–1 draw.
Return to Atlético Madrid
On May 24, 2018, Rodri went back to Atlético Madrid. He signed a five-year contract. He played his first game back with Atlético on August 15, 2018, in the 2018 UEFA Super Cup. His team won 4–2 against their city rivals, Real Madrid.
Joining Manchester City
First Season in England (2019–20)
On July 3, 2019, Manchester City paid a record fee of £62.6 million to sign Rodri. He then signed a five-year contract with the English club.
Rodri, who was 23 at the time, played his first game for Manchester City on August 4, 2019. It was in the 2019 FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium, where City won against Liverpool after a penalty shootout. Six days later, he played his first Premier League match. On September 14, he scored his first goal for the club.
In October 2019, Rodri had a hamstring injury that kept him out for about a month. On March 1, 2020, Manchester City won the EFL Cup for the third time in a row, beating Aston Villa 2–1 in the final. Rodri scored City's second goal with a header, which was the winning goal!
Premier League Titles and Treble (2020–2024)
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On February 13, 2021, Rodri scored a penalty goal in a 3–0 win against Tottenham Hotspur. During the 2021–22 season, Rodri was amazing at passing. He completed 91.8% of his passes throughout the season, which was the best among all midfielders in the Premier League! This shows how accurate and important he was to his team's play.
On July 12, 2022, Rodri signed a new contract with Manchester City until 2027. A big moment came on April 11, 2023, when he scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League against Bayern Munich. Then, on June 10, he scored the only goal in the Champions League final against Inter Milan. This goal won Manchester City their first-ever Champions League title and completed their historic continental treble! Rodri was named the best player of that final match and the best player of the entire tournament.
On September 23, 2023, Rodri received his first red card in the Premier League during a match against Nottingham Forest. This meant he couldn't play in the next three games, and Manchester City lost all of them. Later, after getting his fifth yellow card, he was suspended again, and City lost that game too. This showed how important he is to his team!
On May 19, 2024, Rodri scored a crucial goal in Manchester City's 3–1 win over West Ham United on the last day of the season. This victory made City the first club in English history to win the league title four seasons in a row! Rodri also reached 50 consecutive Premier League matches without a loss with his club, a fantastic achievement.
Injury and Return (2024–Present)
On September 22, 2024, Rodri had to leave a game against Arsenal due to a serious knee injury. This injury kept him out for most of the 2024–25 season. In October 2024, he was awarded the 2024 Ballon d'Or, a huge honor! He made his comeback from the injury on May 20, 2025, playing as a substitute in a 3–1 win against Bournemouth.
International Career with Spain
Youth and Senior Debut
Rodri played for Spain's national youth teams (Under-16, Under-19, and Under-21) before joining the senior national team. He was first called up to the senior team on March 16, 2018, for friendly matches. He made his debut five days later, playing against Germany in a 1–1 draw.
First Major Tournaments (2018–2021)
After not being selected for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Rodri was part of Spain's squad for the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League in September 2018. He made his competitive debut on September 11 in a big 6–0 win against Croatia. A month later, Rodri started his first game for Spain in a 4–1 friendly win against Wales.
Rodri played in many of Spain's qualifying matches for UEFA Euro 2020. On November 17, 2020, he scored his first goal for the senior national team in a huge 6–0 win against Germany. This win helped Spain qualify for the 2021 UEFA Nations League Finals.
In June 2021, Rodri was chosen for Spain's squad for the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament. He played in some matches, helping Spain reach the semi-finals, where they lost to Italy after a penalty shootout. In October 2021, he also played in the 2021 UEFA Nations League final, where Spain lost to France.
World Cup and Nations League Title (2022–2023)
Rodri was part of Spain's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He played as a central defender in all three of Spain's group matches. In the Round of 16, Spain drew 0–0 with Morocco but were knocked out after losing in a penalty shootout.
After a famous Spanish midfielder, Sergio Busquets, retired from international football in December 2022, Rodri took over his important role in the midfield. On March 28, 2023, Rodri captained the team for the first time in a qualifying match for UEFA Euro 2024.
In June 2023, Rodri was named the Player of the Finals for the 2023 UEFA Nations League Finals. He played in both the semi-final and the final against Croatia, which Spain won after a penalty shootout. Rodri scored his penalty kick and was named the best player of the tournament!
On March 26, 2024, Rodri captained Spain again in a friendly match against Brazil. He scored two goals from penalty kicks in the exciting 3–3 draw.
UEFA Euro 2024 Victory
In June 2024, Rodri was selected for Spain's squad for UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany. In a warm-up match, he earned his 50th cap (game) for Spain.
Rodri was a key player throughout the tournament, helping Spain reach and win the UEFA Euro 2024 final. He had an amazing performance, scoring one goal and completing 92% of his passes. Spain defeated England 2–1 to win their fourth European Championship. Rodri was awarded the Player of the Tournament for his outstanding play. He also became one of only 12 players to win both youth and senior Euro titles.
During Spain's celebrations after winning Euro 2024, Rodri and his captain faced a disciplinary action from UEFA for comments made during the festivities. They were given a one-match ban.
2026 FIFA World Cup Title
On May 25, 2026, Rodri was named in Spain’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He served as Spain's captain during the tournament. Rodri started in all eight of Spain's matches. After a 1–0 win over Argentina in the final, he was awarded the Golden Ball for his excellent performances. Even though Rodri didn't score or assist any goals in the tournament, his precise passing helped Spain control their matches and ultimately win the World Cup.
How Rodri Plays
Style of Play
Rodri is 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 known for his high success rate in tackles and for winning all his aerial duels in the 2022–23 season. He also has a very impressive passing accuracy of 91–92%.
Rodri is also known for being very versatile and smart about tactics. He plays a big part in helping his team build up attacks. His main job is to win the ball back in midfield and then pass it to start counterattacks. He is great at keeping possession of the ball even when under pressure.
His coach, Pep Guardiola, has helped Rodri develop his role as a holding midfielder. Rodri's smart positioning and calm play are essential for Manchester City to control the midfield. He often positions himself between the defenders to help start plays and keep the ball, allowing the team to move smoothly from defense to attack. His accurate passing and awareness of the space around him make him a central figure in Guardiola's system.
Besides his defensive skills, Rodri is also a very accurate passer with great vision. This allows him to act as a deep-lying playmaker from the center of the midfield. In the 2023–24 season, he was involved in more plays than any other player in his team or in the Premier League. He is also known for his ability to control the speed of the game.
Sometimes, Rodri has even played as a centre-back (a central defender), especially for the national team during the 2022 World Cup.
During his time at Manchester City, he also worked on scoring more goals. He became known for his powerful long-range shots, which led to several goals, including his winning goal from outside the box in the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final. Even though he isn't known for being super fast, experts praise his ability to catch up with much faster attackers in midfield. Rodri's amazing performances led him to win the Ballon d'Or in 2024.
Personal Life
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 not to use social media.
Career statistics
Club
| 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
| 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 | 11 | 0 | |
| Total | 70 | 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 |
Honours
Atlético Madrid
Manchester City
- Premier League: 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
- FA Cup: 2022–23, 2025–26
- EFL Cup: 2019–20, 2020–21, 2025–26
- FA Community Shield: 2019
- UEFA Champions League: 2022–23
- 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
- FIFA World Cup: 2026
- UEFA European Championship: 2024
- UEFA Nations League: 2022–23; runner-up: 2020–21
Individual
- FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 2026
- 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
See also
In Spanish: Rodri Hernández para niños
