Biography of Rodrigo Hernandez (Rodri)
Rodrigo Hernández Biography Summary:
Full name Rodrigo Hernández Cascante
Date of birth 22 June 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth Madrid, Spain
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
About Rodrigo Hernández Biography:
Rodrigo Hernández Cascante (born 22 June 1996), known as Rodrigo or Rodrigo, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City and the Spain national team. He is known for his passing, playmaking and physical abilities and is considered one of the best players in the world.
After playing for Villarreal and Atlético Madrid in La Liga, Rodri joined Premier League club Manchester City in 2019. He helped the team win four consecutive league titles in the 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23 and 2023–24 seasons. In the 2022–23 season, he was part of the team that achieved a historic continental treble. The treble included Manchester City’s first ever Champions League title, in which Rodri scored the only goal in the final and was named the tournament’s Player of the Season.
Rodri is a member of the Spanish national team and has also played for the Spanish youth teams. He made his senior debut for the Spanish national team in 2018 and represented his country at Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024. He won the UEFA Nations League with Spain in 2023 and was named the tournament’s best player. He also played a key role in Spain’s victory at Euro 2024 and was named the tournament’s best player.
Rodri has won numerous individual awards, most notably the 2024 Ballon d’Or. He is the second Spanish male player in history to achieve this honour, after Luis Suárez, who won the award in 1960. Rodri is also the first Manchester City player to win the award.
Rodri’s club career:
Early life and career
Rodrigo Hernández Cascante was born on 22 June 1996 in Madrid. He joined Atlético Madrid’s youth academy in 2007 at the age of 11 from CF Rio Majadahonda. In 2013, he left the club due to “lack of physical strength” and joined Villarreal.
On 7 February 2015, while still in the youth team, Rodri made his debut for Villarreal’s second team, coming on as a late substitute in a 3–1 win over Espanyol B in Segunda División B. He made his first-team debut 15 days later, starting in a 2–0 win over Real Zaragoza B.
Rodri made his first-team debut for Villarreal on 17 December 2015, in a 2–0 win over Huesca in the Copa del Rey. His La Liga debut came on 17 April 2016, when he came on as a substitute for Denis Suárez in a 2–1 defeat to Rayo Vallecano.
On 4 December 2017, Rodri, now a regular starter, extended his contract until 2022. He scored his first goal in the Spanish top flight on 18 February 2018, in a 1–1 away draw against Espanyol.
Atlético Madrid
On 24 May 2018, Rodri returned to Atlético Madrid after reaching an agreement with Villarreal. He signed a five-year contract worth around €20 million, with €5 million in add-ons. Rodri made his debut for the club on 15 August in the 2018 UEFA Super Cup, playing the first 71 minutes of the 4–2 victory over Real Madrid.
Manchester City
2019–20 season: First season in England
On 3 July 2019, Manchester City paid Rodri’s £62.6 million release clause, allowing him to buy out the remainder of his contract with Atlético and leave the club. The transfer was a new record fee for Manchester City. He signed a five-year contract with the club.
Rodri made his debut for Manchester City on 4 August in the 2019 Community Shield against Liverpool at Wembley Stadium, playing the full 90 minutes as the team won after a 1–1 draw on penalties. Six days later, he made his Premier League debut against West Ham, in a 5–0 away win, and scored his first goal on 14 September in a 3–2 defeat to Norwich City.
In October 2019, it was announced that Rodri would be out for around a month with a hamstring injury. On 1 March 2020, Manchester City won their third consecutive League Cup at Wembley, defeating Aston Villa 2–1 in the final; Rodri scored his team’s second goal, a header from a corner, which was the winning goal of the match.
2020 so far: Premier League and continental treble success
On 13 February 2021, Rodri scored Manchester City’s first goal from the penalty spot in a 3–0 home win over Tottenham. During the 2021–22 season, he averaged 82.0 passes per 90 minutes with an accuracy of 91.8%, the best pass completion rate among Premier League midfielders in both categories. These figures show that he averaged one pass every 60.5 seconds, the most of any midfielder, with only Liverpool’s Thiago coming close.
On 12 July 2022, Rodri extended his contract with Manchester City until 2027. On 11 April 2023, he scored his first Champions League goal in a 3–0 win over Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals. On 10 June, he scored the only goal of the Champions League final against Inter Milan, securing Manchester City’s historic title and completing the club’s continental treble. Rodri was named Man of the Match and also won the UEFA Champions League Player of the Season award.
On 23 September 2023, Rhodri was sent off in a Premier League match against Nottingham Forest after a confrontation with Morgan Gibbs-White and a violent reaction, his first red card in the Premier League. Manchester City lost the next three matches during which he was suspended (against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Arsenal and Newcastle). After receiving a fifth yellow card against Tottenham, he was suspended again, this time losing the match against Aston Villa.
On 19 May 2024, Rhodri scored a goal into the bottom corner to secure Manchester City a 3–1 victory over West Ham on the final day of the season, making City the first English club to win the league in four consecutive seasons. Rhodri also achieved a record of 50 consecutive Premier League matches without defeat, tying Sol Campbell with 56 matches.
On 22 September 2024, Rodri was taken off in the first half of Manchester City’s 2–2 draw with Arsenal due to an ACL and meniscus injury, and was ruled out for the rest of the 2024–25 season. In October 2024, he won the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
International career:
After playing for Spain’s under-16, under-19 and under-21 teams, Rodri was called up to the senior national team for the first time on 16 March 2018 for friendlies against Germany and Argentina. He made his debut five days later, coming on as a late substitute for Thiago Alcántara in a 1–1 draw with Germany in Düsseldorf.
2018–2021: UEFA Nations League and Euro 2020
After failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Rodri was called up to the Spain squad in September 2018 for their first UEFA Nations League matches against England and Croatia. He was on the bench for the first match against England at Wembley Stadium and came on as a 59th-minute substitute for Sergio Busquets in the second match against Croatia, which Spain won 6–0. A month later, Rodri made his first start in Spain’s 4–1 victory over Wales in Cardiff, and was voted the BBC’s Player of the Year.
Rodri played in seven of Spain’s ten qualifying matches for Euro 2020, starting five times.
On 17 November 2020, Rodri scored his first goal for the senior Spain national team in a 6–0 win over Germany in the group stage of the UEFA Nations League. The victory in Seville ensured that Spain topped Group 4 and qualified for the 2021 Nations League finals in Italy.
In June 2021, he was named in Luis Enrique’s 24-man squad for the Euro 2020 finals, which was postponed due to COVID-19. In the absence of captain Sergio Busquets due to COVID-19, Rodri started the first two matches, as Spain drew 0–0 with Poland and 1–1 with Sweden. When Busquets returned for the final Group E match against Slovakia, Rodri was on the bench to watch Spain win 5–0 and advance to the knockout stage. In the round of 16 against Croatia, Rodri came on as a substitute for Busquets in the 102nd minute, as Spain won 5–3 in extra time.
He also came on as a substitute for Pedri in the last minute of extra time in the quarter-final against Switzerland, where his shot was saved by Swiss goalkeeper Jan Sommer; however, Spain won 4–2 and advanced to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, Rodri came on as a substitute for Koke in the 70th minute, as Spain drew 1–1 with Italy but lost 4–2 on penalties.
In October 2021, Rodri was named in Spain’s squad for the UEFA Nations League finals. On 10 October, he played in Spain’s 2–1 defeat to France in the final, playing 84 minutes at the San Siro in Milan.
2022–2023: 2022 World Cup and 2023 UEFA Nations League
Rodri was included in the Spain squad for the 2022 World Cup, playing as a central defender. He played the full 90 minutes in all three Group E matches, as Spain beat Costa Rica 7–0, drew 1–1 with Germany, and lost 2–1 to Japan. In the round of 16, Rodri played 120 minutes in the 0–0 draw against Morocco, which Spain lost 3–0 on penalties.
Following the retirement of Sergio Busquets on 16 December 2022, Rodri replaced him as Spain’s central midfielder. On 28 March 2023, he captained the team for the first time in the second qualifying match for Euro 2024, as Spain lost 2–0 to Scotland at Hampden Park.
In June 2023, Rodri was named the best player of the final phase of the UEFA Nations League. He played in both the semi-final against Italy and the final against Croatia. Spain won the final on penalties, with Rodri converting one of his own shots. He was named the best player of the tournament.
On 26 March 2024, Rodri captained Spain for the second time in a friendly against Brazil. He scored his second and third international goals, both from the penalty spot, in a 3–3 draw.
Euro 2024
In June 2024, Rodri was called up to the Spain squad for Euro 2024 in Germany. In the team’s final friendly match – a 5–1 win over Northern Ireland in Mallorca – Rodri made his 50th appearance for Spain.
In the team’s opening match of the tournament, he played 86 minutes before being replaced by Martin Zubmendi, as Spain defeated Croatia 3–0 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.
Rodri helped Spain reach the final of Euro 2024, where he was named the tournament’s best player. Spain defeated England 2–1 in the final to win their fourth European Championship. He also became one of 12 players to have won both the youth and senior European Championships, along with teammates Nacho, Fran Torres, Álvaro Morata and Mikel Merino.
During Spain’s victory celebrations after their victory over England at Euro 2024, Rodri and Spain captain Álvaro Morata were seen chanting “Gibraltar is Spanish”. The chants were deemed “insulting” and “derogatory to the people of Gibraltar” by the Gibraltar government, prompting the government and the Gibraltar Football Association to lodge a formal complaint with UEFA. Following an investigation launched on 19 July, Rodri and Morata were formally charged under UEFA’s Article 11 on 23 July and each received a one-match ban.
Rodri’s profile:
Playing style:
Rodri is a strong and tall player. His physique helps him win tackles, challenges with opposing players and aerial duels. He has a 73% success rate in tackles and has won 100% of his aerial duels in the 2022–23 season. He also has an average pass accuracy of between 91 and 92%.
Rodri is also known for his flexibility and tactical intelligence. He plays an important role in the structuring of his team’s play. Often deployed as a “destructive midfielder”, his main role is to regain possession in midfield and spread it to initiate attacks. His ability to hold the ball under pressure allows him to play this role well.
In addition to his defensive skills, Rodri has accurate passing and wide vision, which allows him to operate as a deep playmaker from the heart of midfield. In the 2023–24 season, he was involved in more games than any other player in his team and the Premier League. He is also known for his ability to set the pace of the game.
In addition to his main position as a defensive midfielder, he has sometimes been deployed as a central defender with playmaking skills, most notably by national team manager Luis Enrique at the 2022 World Cup.
During his time at Manchester City, he also worked to improve his goalscoring skills and became known for his long-range shots. He scored several goals in this way, including the winning goal in the 2023 Champions League Final against Inter from outside the penalty area. Although Rodri is not known for his speed, pundits have praised him for his ability to catch up to faster attackers in midfield.
Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d’Or for his outstanding performances throughout the season.
Reception:
Rodri is considered by many pundits to be one of the best defensive midfielders in world football. In January 2024, ESPN FC pundits debated whether Rodri was truly the best player in the world at the time. In March 2024, Rodri’s manager at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, described him as “the best midfielder in the world right now, by a long shot”. In the same month, The New York Times named him the Premier League’s best player, while former defender Rio Ferdinand believed that Rodri was probably the best defensive midfielder in Premier League history.
Rodri was nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award, and ultimately came in fifth. He won the award in 2024, finishing ahead of Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal.
Personal life:
As a youngster in Villarreal, Rodri studied for four years at the Jaume I University in Castellón de la Plana, graduating with a degree in Business Administration. It was there that he met his longtime girlfriend, Laura, who was studying medicine.
Unlike him, Spanish footballer Rodri’s mysterious fiancée Laura prefers to stay out of the spotlight. While we know her first name, her last name remains a mystery. Fans are curious about their relationship, with some even speculating that she may soon adopt the surname Rodri. Laura keeps her personal information, including her age, a secret, although sources suggest she is in her mid-20s. Laura is currently a medical student training to become a surgeon, and Rodri’s future wife is soon to be a specialist.
Rodrigo Hernandez’s honours:
Atlético Madrid
• UEFA Super Cup: 2018
Manchester City
• Premier League: 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
• FA Cup: 2022–23; Runner-up: 2023–24
• League Cup: 2019–20, 2020–21
• FA Charity Shield: 2019
• Champions League: 2022–23; Runner-up: 2020–21
• UEFA Super Cup: 2023
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2023
Spain U-19
• UEFA U-19 Championship: 2015
pain U-21
• UEFA U-21 Championship Runner-up: 2017
Spain
• UEFA 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 Year: 2023
• UEFA U-19 Team of the Season: 2015
• Premier League Team of the Season (PFA): 2022–23, 2023–24
• FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2023
• IFFHS World Team of the Year: 2023
• Globe Soccer Awards Midfielder of the Year: 2023
• UEFA Team of the Season (The Athletic): 2023–24
• UEFA Player of the Year: 2024
• UEFA Team of the Season: 2024
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