Spanish defensive midfielder Rodri tried to understand the game since childhood – he realized that for a place in the starting lineup, learning tactics would give him an advantage over competitors. The athlete was compared with Sergio Busquets after he constantly pestered the coaches with questions and tried to apply knowledge in practice, and in terms of intelligence on the football field in his youth. The signs of Rodri becoming a conspicuously great footballer is no surprise as a result. Let’s understand more about Rodri or Rodrigo in this article today!
Rodri: Where Is The Spanish Footballer In 2023? An Update!
He was born in Madrid:
Born on June 22, 1996 in Madrid, Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante was fond of football since childhood and watched matches on TV for hours. Even then, he paid attention to the tactical moves of the head coaches, which later came in handy in his career:
“When I was a kid, I was more interested in understanding football than enjoying it. I was wondering how it works. I watched a lot of games and could judge how deeply a player thinks on the field. I tried adding this to my game. That way I would have an advantage, especially at a young age when few players have that kind of conceptual understanding.”
The Spaniard was going to continue his full-time studies, but he was prevented by rapid progress and moving to England. The Spaniard reads a lot, learns foreign languages and specially hired a tutor during his youth.
He was always sporty:
The football player loves table tennis. As a student, he constantly played ping-pong with classmates, and participated in amateur tournaments.
Rodri’s sports career in its nascent stage:
His early pro-football career began with performances for the youth team of the modest Rayo Majadahonda club, but a season later, in 2007, the guy moved to the more status Atlético. Thanks to the games for the capital’s team, the young man got into the youth team of Spain and won the European Championship in the age group under 17 years old. However, against this background, the management of the “mattress” unexpectedly decided to remove the football player from the academy, citing his weak physical aspects.
Rodri thought about ending his sports career and entered the University of Castile at the Faculty of Business Administration. However, it did not work out of football – the young man was invited to Villarreal. Here, the Spaniard combined study and work, while living in a student hostel and attending lectures. After he became famous, the press often published photos from his personal life: how he cooked in the common kitchen or tried to learn lessons.
Pro-football debut with the same team that saved him (Villarreal):
Rodri made his debut for Villarreal on December 17, 2015 in a Copa del Rey match against Huesca. The guy, who had grown in just a year and stood out from his partners with good physical characteristics (height – 191 cm, weight – 82 kg), soon won a place at the start and made the bosses of Atlético regret because of the controversial decision to throw him out of the youth academy.
In 2018, the midfielder returned to the capital, signing a five-year contract with Atlético Madrid.
However, Rodri, who already played for the Spanish national team, did not stay long in Madrid.
Finally entering Man City:
In July 2019, Manchester City activated the option to buy the athlete, paying € 70 million in compensation for him. Interestingly, in the winter, Atlético was going to increase the amount prescribed in the contract, but the player refused, as he dreamed of playing under the leadership ofJosep Guardiola.
At Manchester City, Rodri has become an indispensable starter, his only competitor was the ageFernandinho. In his first two seasons in the Premier League, the Spaniard missed only one match due to injury, while the level of play did not suffer from the lack of rotation. In 2022, the “citizens” extended the contract with the midfielder for an additional 3 years, under the terms of the agreement, he receives € 150,000 per week. Now the transfer value of the player is estimated at € 80 million.
So, where is Rodri lately?
2022:
In 2022, Rodri was included in Spain’s final squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The player brightly showed himself in the first match of the group stage against Costa Rica. In the third round, the “red fury” lost to Japan with a score of 1: 2 and barely made it to the playoffs, but the unsatisfactory result eventually faded against the background of the midfielder’s record. The Manchester City player made 215 passes for the match, of which 204 were accurate.
March 2023:
By 2023, the Manchester City midfielder is the new captain of Roja Rodri who most recently did not digest Spain’s defeat in Scotland in March 2023. After the final whistle, he expressed his opinion about his evening opponents: “It’s their way of playing, you have to respect it, but frankly, it’s a bit disgusting ,” he said. on the Viaplay platform. They spend their time stalling, rolling on the floor, and provoking. For me, it’s not football. For the speed of the game, you have to move forward and it is up to the referee to do something, but he did nothing.
May 2023:
The latest update on the Spanish midfielder is being one of the cornerstones of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in winning the Premier League.
A goal from him was key to the comeback that meant the fourth Premier in the last five years. “Guardiola told me that the important ones were those of Gundogan, that mine was put in by the fans,” he joked.
Rodri after winning his second Premier, won four of the last five and also won it against the best Liverpool team in history.
“That it is a pride to be part of this great team that Txiki Begiristain has created. Conquering the Premier is the reward for a great effort in every way. It is the most brutal competition there is. Winning the title was coupled with how we won it. It felt like we were losing all of nine months of work. That is why after the comeback people ended up crying, euphoric. —Including Guardiola … —I had seen Guardiola dancing, but cry he never did as much”, said the proud footballer.
Even today, Rodri is a very simple man:
Rodri is compared to an alien in football, there are no expensive cars in his life, he has abandoned social networks, does not do extravagant hairstyles, and there is not a single tattoo on his body. “I am a modest person who needs little for comfort. Enough to surround yourself with good people who live ordinary lives.
The midfielder used to spend his free time with his family when he played for Villarreal, then he bought a car, especially for trips to Madrid. Rodri did not waste money and bought a used Opel Corsa, having found it in an ad. For a long time, he had a push-button cell phone.