- Planet Sport writer
- 16 August 2024
Rodri ruled out of Man City's Premier League opener at Chelsea
Rodri looks set to miss Manchester City's Premier League opener against Chelsea on Sunday.
Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante, better known as Rodri, is a midfielder for Manchester City and the Spanish national team.
Previously, he has played for Villarreal and Atletico Madrid, having started his youth career at Rayo Majadahonda.
Rodri is a defensive midfielder known for his technical ability on the ball and his influence in breaking up play.
After being released from the Atletico Madrid academy in 2013 due to a "lack of physical strength", he signed for Villarreal and his performances convinced Atletico to buy him back in 2018.
After the 2018/19 season, Manchester City activated Rodri's £62.6million release clause to sign the player.
In his four seasons at City he has lifted a pile of trophies including four Premier League titles, an FA Cup, two League Cups and he also scored the winning goal in the 2023 Champions League final.
He was was selected as the official player of the tournament at Euro 2024, which Spain won beating England 2-1 in the final.
In October 2024, Rodri was named as the 2024 men’s Ballon d’Or winner.
Time in Madrid
After leaving Atletico Madrid's academy in 2013, Rodri moved to Villarreal.
In December 2015, Rodri made his first-team debut against SD Huesca in the Copa del Rey. he soon established himself as a first team regular and did enough to convince Atletico to sign him back for a reported €25million.
Rodri rejoined Atletico Madrid after the 2017/18 season and made his first team debut in the UEFA Super Cup win against Real Madrid.
Rodri played a total of 47 matches for Atletico Madrid in all competitions during the course of 2018/19, scoring three goals. Atletico finished second in La Liga, 11 points behind Barcelona.
Joining Manchester City
Manchester City signed Rodri on 3 July 2019. The £62.6million fee was City's transfer record until they paid a reported £64million for Ruben Dias.
With Fernandinho covering at centre-back, as an option to replace the departed Vincent Kompany, Rodri was signed to add another holding midfielder to Manchester City's ranks.
Rodri's debut season for Manchester City, 2019/20, was one of highs and lows. He impressed personally, but City disappointed as they were well-beaten to the Premier Legaue title by Liverpool. They did, however, win the League Cup, beating Aston Villa 2-1 in the final with Rodri starting in midfield.
He played 52 matches in all competitions and scored four goals, winning the League Cup. However, City lost their Premier League title to Liverpool and were eliminated by Olympique Lyon in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
The FA Cup brought another disappointment, though, with Rodri a second half substitute as City lost to Arsenal in the final.
In 2020//21 , Rodri added a Premier Legaue winners' medal to his growing collection of honours.
The Spanish ace feature in 46 games in all competitions for the Citizens, with them winning 34 of those.
City also reached the finals of the League Cup, which they won, and the Champions League, which they lost, although Rodri featured in neither.
Rodri added three more Premier League titles in 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 and his first FA Cup in 2023. But his crowning glory came in the 2023 Champions League final.
Champions League glory
The Spanish midfielder tucked home City's winner as they beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the Champions League final and completed the treble in Istanbul.
Rodri said: "I think it was the only time I went forward in the game because Inter were so narrow and I wanted to make sure the two strikers weren't comfortable.
"In that moment I just saw the space. In the first moment I thought about shooting strong but then I realised there were six or seven players in the goal area and I was like, 'no, I'm going to put it inside the first post'.
"The end result was incredible but there was half an hour still to go so it was a big effort from all of us.
"We deserve this. What a season. We deserve it."
Rodri was named Champions League player of the year by UEFA after the final and also selected in the team of the season.
Rodri played in all but one of City's Champions League matches in the 2022/23 season, with the Champions League final match-winner his second goal in the tournament during the campaign.
Spanish international and Euro 2004 glory
Rodri played for Spain at U-16, U-19 and U-21 levels. He was part of the squad which won the 2015 U-19 UEFA European Championship before making his senior debut in March 2018 in a friendly against Germany.
Rodri continued to feature regularly for the Spanish national team and scored his first goal for his country in a 6-0 UEFA Nations League drubbing of Germany in November 2020.
Rodri was named in Spain's squad for Euro 2020 and he started the tournament in the team against Sweden and Poland.
However, after two frustrating draws, boss Luis Enrique looked to get more attacking intent into his midfield and that decision saw Rodri drop to the bench for the rest of the tournament.
He came on in the quarter-final against Switzerland and semi-final against Italy, where the Spaniards' involvement in the tournament came to an end.
Rodri was also selected for Spain's 2022 World Cup squad. He played every game as a centre-back before Spain went out on penalties to Morocco in the round of 16.
He was a vital part of Luis de la Fuente's Spain side that was crowned European champions in the summer of 2024.
Spain secured their fourth European Championship crown with a 2-1 win at Berlin’s Olympiastadion as Mikel Oyarzabal’s late strike was enough to wrap up the result.
Rodri was named player of the tournament in Germany, despite going off injured at half-time of the final.
After the match Rodri insisted being crowned kings of the continent with Spain eclipses all his club achievements, given they beat Italy, France, Germany and England to lift the trophy.
“This is probably the best day of my career,” he said.
“We are European champions, as difficult as that is. We have become Europe’s most successful national team.
“Previous generations showed us the way. In sport, as in life, when you leave it all out there, you are rewarded.”
He continued: “We have made history, beating four former world champions in the process. We got through the toughest draw and it speaks for the mentality of the team.
“This has been cultivated. Many of us were champions at Under-17, Under-19, Under-21 level… (head coach) Luis de la Fuente knew what he was doing.”
Rodri Gibraltar chanting ban
Rodri got into hot water with team-mate Alvaro Morata after chanting about Gibraltar during a Euro 2024 victory event.
Rodri took the microphone during a celebration event in Madrid on July 15 and sang “Gibraltar es Espanol” – Gibraltar is Spanish – leading to a complaint from the Gibraltar Football Association.
The Gibraltar FA described Rodri and Morata’s actions as “deeply offensive”, with governing body UEFA subsequently appointing an ethics and disciplinary inspector to evaluate what had happened at the event.
Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory, but is the subject of a territorial claim by Spain.
Rodri and Morata were later charged under Article 11 of UEFA’s disciplinary code and handed one-match bans.
In a statement confirming the sanctions, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body said the players must serve one-match bans for “failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, for violating the basic rules of decent conduct, for using sporting events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and for bringing the sport of football, and UEFA in particular, into disrepute”.
Rodri's injury misery in 2024/25 season
Just five games into the new Premier League season Rodri suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage in a top of the table clash with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.
The 28-year-old underwent surgery and will not be available again until the 2025/26 campaign.
City had not lost any of their last 48 Premier League matches in which Rodri had featured.
Rodri wins 2024 Ballon d’Or
On October 28, 2024, Rodri won the men’s Ballon d’Or at a prestigious ceremony in Paris.
Rodri beat the Real Madrid trio of Vinicius Junior, Dani Carvajal and Jude Bellingham to the top honour, and that verdict from the 100-strong panel of voters led the delegation from Real Madrid to stay at home.
The 28-year-old was helped on to the stage on crutches after his season-ending knee ligament injury.
Rodri said: “I have so many things to thank people for. First of all to France Football and to UEFA for giving me this award. I would like to thank those who voted for me and put their trust in me. Today is a very special day for me and for my family, my country.
“I would like to thank the most important person in the world for me, my girlfriend Laura. Today is our anniversary and without her things wouldn’t have been the same. Thank you.
“Also my family, of course. The values they have taught me and all they represent in me, for having taught me the right steps to take and for helping be become the man I am…
“I don’t want to forget my team-mates, I understand it is a group game. Manchester City is so special, I know I wouldn’t make this without you. For me it is the best club in the world, and thanks to them things happen much easier.
“The national team and Luis (de la Fuente, coach), for trusting me for so long, I have to mention my team-mates with whom we won the Euros. This is not just for me but for Spanish football.”
Personal life
Rodri earned a degree in business and economics from the University of Castellon. He is known for shunning social media and the flashy football player lifestyle.
He met his long-term medical student girlfriend Laura Iglesias at university, but the pair keep their relationship out of the public gaze.
Net worth
Rodri's salary per year is reportedly £6million and his net worth is around £15million.
