Rodri (footballer, born 1996) facts for kids
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Rodri playing for Spain in 2019
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 22 June 1996 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Madrid, Spain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.90 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Defensive-midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current club | 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 | 174 | (22) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Spain U16 | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Spain U19 | 8 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Spain U21 | 6 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018– | Spain | 57 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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† Appearances (Goals). |
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Rodrigo Hernández Cascante (born June 22, 1996), known as Rodri, is a Spanish professional footballer. He plays mainly as a defensive-midfielder for the English club Manchester City. He also plays for the Spain national team. Rodri is known for his excellent passing, helping his team create chances, and his strong physical presence. Many people think he is one of the best players in the world.
Rodri played for Villarreal and Atlético Madrid in Spain before joining Manchester City in 2019. He helped Manchester City win the Premier League four times in a row. In the 2022–23 season, he was a key part of the team that won a historic "continental treble". This means they won the Premier League, the FA Cup, and their first ever UEFA Champions League title. Rodri scored the only goal in the Champions League final and was named the best player of the tournament.
Rodri also plays for the Spanish national team. He made his debut in 2018. He has played for Spain in major tournaments like UEFA Euro 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and Euro 2024. In 2023, he helped Spain win the UEFA Nations League and was named the best player of the finals. He was also a very important player when Spain won Euro 2024, where he was named the best player of the tournament.
In 2024, Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d'Or award. This award is given to the best football player in the world. He was the second Spanish male player to win it, after Luis Suárez in 1960. He was also the first Manchester City player to ever win this award.
Contents
Rodri's Football Journey
Starting Out in Madrid
Rodrigo Hernández Cascante was born in Madrid, Spain, on June 22, 1996. He joined Atlético Madrid's youth team when he was 11 years old in 2007. Before that, he played for CF Rayo Majadahonda. In 2013, Atlético Madrid let him go because they thought he wasn't physically strong enough. After leaving, he signed with Villarreal.
Playing for Villarreal
Rodri started playing for Villarreal's reserve team, Villarreal B, in February 2015. He was still a junior player at the time. He made his first team debut for Villarreal on December 17, 2015. This was in a cup game against SD Huesca. His first game in La Liga, Spain's top league, was in April 2016.
By December 2017, Rodri had become a regular player for Villarreal. He signed a new contract that would keep him there until 2022. He scored his first goal in La Liga on February 18, 2018, in a game against RCD Espanyol.
Returning to Atlético Madrid
On May 24, 2018, Rodri went back to Atlético Madrid. The club paid about €20 million for him. He signed a five-year contract. He played his first game back with Atlético on August 15, 2018. This was in the 2018 UEFA Super Cup against their city rivals, Real Madrid. Atlético won the game 4–2.
Joining Manchester City
First Season in England (2019–20)
On July 3, 2019, Manchester City paid £62.6 million to sign Rodri. This was a new record fee for Manchester City at the time. He signed a five-year contract with the club.
Rodri played his first game for Manchester City on August 4, 2019. This was in the 2019 FA Community Shield against Liverpool. City won the game on penalties. Six days later, he made his Premier League debut. On September 14, he scored his first goal for City in a game against Norwich City.
In October 2019, Rodri had a hamstring injury that kept him out for about a month. On March 1, 2020, City won the EFL Cup final against Aston Villa. Rodri scored City's second goal with a header, which turned out to be the winning goal.
Winning Trophies (2020–Present)
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On February 13, 2021, Rodri scored a penalty goal in a 3–0 win against Tottenham Hotspur. In the 2021–22 season, Rodri was excellent at passing the ball. He completed 91.8% of his passes throughout the season. This showed how good he was at keeping possession and distributing the ball.
On July 12, 2022, Rodri signed a new contract with Manchester City until 2027. On April 11, 2023, he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal against Bayern Munich. On June 10, he scored the only goal in the Champions League final against Inter Milan. This goal secured City's first Champions League title and completed their historic "treble" of trophies. Rodri was named the best player of the match and the best player of the entire tournament.
On September 23, 2023, Rodri received his first red card in the Premier League. This happened in a match against Nottingham Forest. While he was suspended, Manchester City lost three games in a row.
On May 19, 2024, Rodri scored a very important goal against West Ham United. This goal helped Manchester City win 3–1 and secure their fourth consecutive Premier League title. This was a historic achievement for the club. Rodri also reached 50 Premier League matches without a loss, which is a fantastic record.
On September 22, 2024, Rodri suffered a serious knee injury during a game against Arsenal. This injury means he will miss the rest of the 2024–25 season. In October 2024, he was awarded the 2024 Ballon d'Or, recognizing his amazing performances.
Playing for Spain
Rodri has played for Spain's youth teams, including the under-16, under-19, and under-21 squads. He was first called up to the senior national team on March 16, 2018. He made his debut five days later in a friendly game against Germany.
UEFA Nations League and Euro 2020
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, he started his first game for Spain in a friendly against Wales and was named man of the match.
Rodri played in many of Spain's qualifying games 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 reach the 2021 UEFA Nations League Finals.
In June 2021, Rodri was chosen for Spain's squad for the postponed UEFA Euro 2020 tournament. He played in some matches, and Spain reached the semi-finals, where they lost to Italy. In October 2021, he also played in the Nations League final, where Spain lost to France.
2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 UEFA Nations League
Rodri was part of Spain's team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He played as a central defender in all three group stage matches. Spain won one game, drew one, and lost one. In the round of 16, Spain lost to Morocco in a penalty shootout.
After Sergio Busquets retired from international football in December 2022, Rodri took over his important role as Spain's main defensive midfielder. On March 28, 2023, he captained the team for the first time in a Euro 2024 qualifier against Scotland.
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. Spain won the final against Croatia in a penalty shootout, and Rodri scored his penalty kick. He was recognized as 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 3–3 draw.
UEFA Euro 2024 Success
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.
He played a key role in Spain's journey to win the UEFA Euro 2024 final. His performances were outstanding throughout the tournament. He scored one goal and had a very high passing accuracy of 92%. Spain defeated England 2–1 in the final to win their fourth European Championship. Rodri was named the Player of the Tournament for Euro 2024. He also became one of only 12 players to win both youth and senior Euro titles.
During the celebrations for Spain's Euro 2024 victory, Rodri and captain Álvaro Morata were heard chanting about Gibraltar. This caused some complaints from the Government of Gibraltar and the Gibraltar Football Association. UEFA investigated the matter, and the players received a one-match ban.
How Rodri Plays
Player Style and Skills
Rodri is a very strong and tall player. His height and strength help him win many tackles and challenges against opponents. He is also very good at winning aerial duels (heading the ball). He has a high success rate for tackles and wins almost all of his aerial duels. He is also known for his incredible passing accuracy, usually completing over 90% of his passes.
Rodri is also known for being very versatile and smart on the field. He helps his team build up attacks from the back. His main job is to win the ball back in midfield and then pass it to start counterattacks. He can keep the ball even when under pressure, which is very important for his role.
Besides his defensive skills, Rodri is also a great passer and has excellent vision. This allows him to play as a "deep-lying playmaker," meaning he starts attacks from deep in 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 very good at controlling the speed of the game.
Sometimes, Rodri has even played as a "ball-playing centre-back" (a defender who is good at passing). His national team coach used him in this position during the 2022 World Cup.
During his time at Manchester City, Rodri has also improved his goalscoring. He is now known for his powerful long-range shots. For example, he scored the winning goal in the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final from outside the box. Even though he isn't known for being super fast, experts say he is good at catching up to faster attackers in midfield. In 2024, Rodri won the Ballon d'Or, showing how amazing his performances have been.
Rodri's Life Off the Field
While playing for Villarreal's youth team, Rodri studied at the Jaume I University. He spent four years there earning a degree in business administration and management. At university, he met his longtime girlfriend, Laura, who was studying medicine.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances and Goals
| 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 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 174 | 22 | 18 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 49 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 260 | 26 | ||
| Career total | 310 | 27 | 33 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 67 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 432 | 33 | ||
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 | |
| Total | 57 | 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 | Estadio de La Cartuja, Seville, Spain | 17 |  Germany |
3–0 | 6–0 | 2020–21 UEFA Nations League A | |
| 2 | 26 March 2024 | Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, 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 |
Awards and Trophies
Rodri has won many team and individual awards throughout his career.
With Atlético Madrid
With Manchester City
- Premier League: 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
- FA Cup: 2022–23; runner-up: 2023–24
- EFL Cup: 2019–20, 2020–21
- FA Community Shield: 2019
- UEFA Champions League: 2022–23; runner-up: 2020–21
- UEFA Super Cup: 2023
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2023
With Spain U19
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2015
With Spain U21
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2017
With Spain National Team
- 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
- FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2023
- IFFHS Men's World Team: 2023, 2024
- IFFHS World's Best Player: 2024
- Globe Soccer Awards Best Midfielder of the Year: 2023
- 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
- The Best FIFA Men's 11: 2024
