Rodri

Rodri, born Rodrigo Hernández Cascante on 22 June 1996 in Madrid, is a Spanish defensive midfielder. As of October 2026 he plays for Barcelona, which he joined in August 2026, and captains the Spain national team. He started his senior career at Villarreal after time in Atlético Madrid's youth setup.

France Football and L'Équipe name him as one of the 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, an award he won in 2024. That made him the first defensive midfielder since Lothar Matthäus in 1990 to take the trophy. The BBC calls a second win "a rare achievement for a holding midfielder".

After a season at Atlético Madrid, he joined Manchester City in 2019 for £62.6 million, a record fee for a Spanish player at the time. According to the BBC he won 12 major trophies with City, including four consecutive Premier League titles and the 2022–23 treble. He scored the only goal of the 2023 Champions League final against Inter Milan and also scored in the 2023 Club World Cup final.

For Spain he won the 2023 Nations League and was named the best player of its finals. He was Player of the Tournament at Euro 2024, won by Spain, and won the Golden Ball at the 2026 World Cup as Spain claimed their second world title. He is one of eleven players to have won the World Cup, the Champions League and the Ballon d'Or.

Sources of this text: Wikipedia · France Football / L'Équipe · BBC Sport · FC Barcelona