Pedro Rodríguez, the winger who came through Barcelona’s academy and went on to win almost everything in the game, has retired at the age of 39. He scored 99 goals for Barça, won the World Cup and the Euros with Spain, and later lifted the Premier League with Chelsea.
Former Barcelona and Chelsea winger Pedro Rodríguez has announced his retirement at the age of 39, ESPN reported on October 7.
He had been without a club since leaving the Italian side Lazio at the end of last season.
His Farewell
“I feel that now is the moment,” Pedro wrote on social media, alongside a video of highlights from his career.
“It’s the moment to take a step forward and start a new chapter in my life. I leave the game proud of fulfilling my dreams and of all the people who were alongside me making them a reality.”
“Thank you, football, for making me so happy.”
His Career in Numbers
| Team | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Barcelona | 321 | 99 |
| Chelsea | 206 | 43 |
| Lazio | 209 | 39 |
| Spain | 65 | – |
The Trophies
- World Cup with Spain, 2010
- European Championship with Spain, 2012
- Three Champions Leagues with Barcelona
- Five LaLiga titles with Barcelona
- Premier League with Chelsea, 2017
From Tenerife to La Masia
Born in Tenerife, Pedro moved to mainland Spain as a teenager to join Barcelona’s youth system from the club San Isidro.
After several seasons with Barcelona’s C and B teams, he made his first-team debut in 2008.
Two Moments Barcelona Remember
In its own tribute, FC Barcelona recalled two achievements in particular.
In 2009–10, Pedro became the first player to score in all six official competitions the club played in a single season: LaLiga, the Copa del Rey, the Champions League, the Spanish Super Cup, the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup.
On May 28, 2011, at Wembley, he scored Barcelona’s opening goal in the Champions League final against Manchester United, which they won 3-1.
After Barcelona
Pedro left in 2015 and spent five seasons at Chelsea. He joined Roma for a season in 2020 and then finished his career at Lazio, where he played for five years.
He retired from international football in 2017.
Barcelona said Pedro would mark his retirement with a farewell event at the club’s Auditori 1899 on Friday, October 9.
Image: Pedro Rodríguez in 2008, the year of his Barcelona first-team debut (file photo). Photo by Dancort13 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
