Rodri (footballer, born 1996)

Rodrigo Hernández Cascante (born 22 June 1996), known as Rodri or Rodrigo, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City and the Spain national team. Regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world,[3][4][5] he is known for his defensive and offensive positioning, tackling, passing, and ball control.

Rodri
Rodri playing for Spain in 2019
Personal information
Full name Rodrigo Hernández Cascante
Date of birth (1996-06-22) 22 June 1996
Place of birth Madrid, Spain
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder[2]
Team information
Current team
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 144 (16)
International career
2012 Spain U16 2 (0)
2015 Spain U19 8 (0)
2017 Spain U21 6 (1)
2018– Spain 47 (1)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Spain
UEFA Nations League
Winner2023 Netherlands
Runner-up2021 Italy
UEFA European Under-19 Championship
Winner2015 Greece
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:17, 23 September 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:19, 15 October 2023 (UTC)

After stints with Villarreal and Atlético Madrid in La Liga, Rodri joined Premier League club Manchester City in 2019. He helped the team win three consecutive league titles in the 2020–21, 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons, the latter of these part of a campaign that saw the club claim a historic continental treble. This treble included a first-ever UEFA Champions League triumph, with Rodri scoring the only goal in the final and being named the tournament's Player of the Season.

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 UEFA Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In 2023, he won the UEFA Nations League, being named the best player of the finals tournament.

Club career

Early life and career

Rodrigo Hernández Cascante[6] was born on 22 June 1996[7] in Madrid.[8] He joined Atlético Madrid's youth setup in 2007 aged 11, from CF Rayo Majadahonda.[9] Released in 2013 due to a "lack of physical strength", he subsequently signed with Villarreal CF.[10][11]

On 7 February 2015, while still a junior, Rodri made his senior debut for the reserves, coming on as a late substitute in a 3–1 away win against RCD Espanyol B in the Segunda División B.[12] He was handed his first start 15 days later, in a 2–0 victory at Real Zaragoza B.[13]

Rodri made his first-team debut on 17 December 2015, starting in a 2–0 home win against SD Huesca for that season's Copa del Rey.[14] His first La Liga appearance was on 17 April 2016, when he came on as a second-half substitute for Denis Suárez in a 2–1 away loss to Rayo Vallecano.[15]

On 4 December 2017, having already established himself as a regular, Rodri renewed his contract until 2022.[16] He scored his first goal in the Spanish top level on 18 February 2018, the opener in a 1–1 away draw against RCD Espanyol.[17]

Atlético Madrid

On 24 May 2018, Rodri returned to Atlético after the club reached an agreement with Villarreal for his transfer. He signed a five-year contract with the Madrid side,[18] for a fee in the region of 20 million plus 5 million in variables.[19] He made his debut on 15 August in the 2018 UEFA Super Cup in Tallinn, playing the first 71 minutes of a 4–2 extra-time win over city rivals Real Madrid.[20]

2019–20 season: First season in England

On 3 July 2019, Manchester City met the terms of Rodri's £62.6 million release clause, enabling him to buy out the remainder of his contract with Atlético and leave the club. The transfer was a new record fee paid by Manchester City.[21][22] He signed a five-year contract.[23]

Rodri made his debut in the 2019 FA Community Shield on 4 August at Wembley Stadium, playing the full 90 minutes as City won on penalties against Liverpool after a 1–1 draw.[24] He made his Premier League debut against West Ham United six days later in a 5–0 away win,[25] and on 14 September he scored his first goal in a 3–2 away defeat against Norwich City.[26]

It was announced in October 2019 that Rodri would be out for a month due to a hamstring injury.[27] On 1 March 2020, City won the EFL Cup at Wembley Stadium for the third consecutive time, beating Aston Villa 2–1 in the final. Rodri headed in City's second goal from a corner, which ultimately turned out to be the winner.[28]

2020–present: Further domestic success and continental treble

Rodri with Manchester City in 2021

On 13 February 2021, Rodri scored City's first goal from a penalty in a 3–0 home win over Tottenham Hotspur.[29] Over the course of the 2021–22 domestic campaign, Rodri had the highest pass completion rate of any midfielder in the Premier League, with 91.8% successful passes per 90 mins, and had proved to be integral to City's title win.[30]

On 12 July 2022, Rodri agreed to extend his contract with Manchester City until 2027.[31]

On 11 April 2023, he scored his first Champions League goal in a 3–0 win over Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals first leg at the Etihad Stadium.[32]

On 10 June, he scored the only goal in the Champions League final against Inter Milan, securing Manchester City's win for their first-ever European Cup and completing the continental treble.[33] Rodri was named man of the match.[34]

On 23 September 2023, he was sent off in a Premier League match against Nottingham Forest for lashing out at Morgan Gibbs-White following a tussle, which sparked a melee. This was Rodri's first red card in the Premier League.[35] City went on to lose each of the three subsequent games for which he was suspended.

International career

Rodri with Spain in 2023

After playing for Spain at under-16, under-19 and under-21 levels, Rodri was first selected by the full side on 16 March 2018 for two friendlies with Germany and Argentina.[36] He made his debut five days later, replacing Thiago Alcântara late in the 1–1 draw against Germany in Düsseldorf.[37]

Rodri was included in Luis Enrique's 24-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020[38] and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[39]

Style of play

Rodri is a physically strong and tall player. His physique helps him to frequently win tackles, challenges on opponent players, as well as aerial duels. He has a 73% success rate at tackles on opponent players,[40] and has won 100% of his aerial duels in the 2022–23 season, according to Squawka. He averages a passing accuracy of 91–92%.[40]

In his Manchester City tenure, he is also known for his long shots leading to goals. Despite not being particularly renowned for his pace, he has been credited by pundits for his ability to catch up with much faster attackers in midfield.[41][42][43] Many pundits consider him as one of the best current defensive midfielders in world football.[44][45][46]

Besides his regular position of a holding midfielder, he has occasionally been used as a ball-playing centre back, in particular by national team manager Luis Enrique during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[47]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 4 October 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup[lower-alpha 2] Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Villarreal B 2014–15[48] Segunda División B 7070
2015–16[49] Segunda División B 3212[lower-alpha 3]1342
Total 39121412
Villarreal 2015–16[49] La Liga 30300060
2016–17[50] La Liga 230404[lower-alpha 4]1311
2017–18[51] La Liga 371406[lower-alpha 4]0471
Total 631110101842
Atlético Madrid 2018–19[52] La Liga 343408[lower-alpha 5]01[lower-alpha 6]0473
Manchester City 2019–20[53] Premier League 35340418[lower-alpha 5]01[lower-alpha 7]0524
2020–21[54] Premier League 342405010[lower-alpha 5]0532
2021–22[55] Premier League 337200010[lower-alpha 5]01[lower-alpha 7]0467
2022–23[56] Premier League 362403012[lower-alpha 5]21[lower-alpha 7]0564
2023–24[57] Premier League 6200002[lower-alpha 5]12[lower-alpha 8]0103
Total 144161401214235021720
Career total 280212901216048138927
  1. Includes Copa del Rey, FA Cup
  2. Includes EFL Cup
  3. Appearances in Segunda División B play-offs
  4. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  5. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  6. Appearance in UEFA Super Cup
  7. Appearance in FA Community Shield
  8. One appearance in FA Community Shield, one appearance in UEFA Super Cup

International

As of match played 15 October 2023[8]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Spain 201840
201970
202061
2021130
202290
202380
Total471
As of match played 15 October 2023
Spain score listed first, score column indicates score after each Rodri goal.[8]
List of international goals scored by Rodri
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
117 November 2020La Cartuja, Seville, Spain17 Germany3–06–02020–21 UEFA Nations League A[58]

Honours

Atlético Madrid

Manchester City

Spain U19

Spain

Individual

References

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