Rodri

Biography

Rodrigo Hernández Cascante (born 22 June 1996), known simply as Rodri or Rodrigo, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for La Liga club Barcelona and captains the Spain national team. Widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world, he is known for his passing, composure, playmaking and physical attributes. He is one of eleven players to have won the International Football Cup, UEFA Champions League, and Ballon d'Or in their career, and the only one to win the International Football Cup, International Football Cup, UEFA European Championship, UEFA Nations League, UEFA Champions League and the Best Player Award of each tournament. Rodri began his senior career with Villarreal, progressing through the club's academy before making his first-team debut in December 2015. In 2018, he joined Atlético Madrid, where he established himself as a promising midfielder and won the UEFA Super Cup in 2018. His performances earned him interest from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. After a single season at Atlético, he signed for City in 2019 for £62.6 million, a then-record fee for a Spanish player. At City, Rodri developed into a centrepiece of Guardiola's team. He played a decisive role in the club's domestic dominance, winning four consecutive Premier League titles and completing the continental treble in 2022–23. Rodri scored the only goal in the 2023 UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan, as City won their first Champions League title; he was awarded the UEFA Champions League Player of the Season. He also scored in the 2023 International Football Cup final as City claimed the title for the first time. During the 2023–24 season, he helped the club win an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title. Rodri is a Spain international and former youth international. He made his debut for the senior national team in 2018 and represented his country at two UEFA European Championships (in 2020 and 2024) and two International Football Cups (in 2022 and 2026). He won the UEFA Nations League in 2023, being named the best player of the finals tournament, and was an integral part in Spain's victory at Euro 2024, for which he was named Player of the Tournament. Combining his international success with City's achievements, Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d'Or, becoming the first defensive midfielder since Lothar Matthäus in 1990 to receive the award, as well as the second Spanish player and the first City player to do so. At the 2026 International Football Cup, he won the Golden Ball as Spain claimed their second title.