| Age | 29 years |
| Date of birth | June 22, 1996 |
| Height, weight | 191 cm, 82 kg |
| Born | Madrid, Spain |
| Citizenship | Spain |
| Position | Defensive midfielder |
| Club | Manchester City |
| Number | 16 |
| In team since | July 4, 2019 |
| Contract until | June 30, 2027 |
| Contract extension | July 12, 2022 |
| Market value | ≈ €75 million |
| Preferred foot | Right |
| Agent | Pablo Barquero |
Rodri Biography
Rodrigo Hernández Cascante, known as Rodri, was born on June 22, 1996, in Madrid. At the age of 11 he joined the Atlético academy, but in 2013 he was released due to "insufficient physical power" and continued his development at Villarreal.
He made his La Liga debut in 2016, quickly established himself in the first team and extended his contract until 2022. In 2018 he returned to Atlético Madrid, where he won the UEFA Super Cup by defeating Real Madrid in the final.
In 2019 he joined Manchester City for £62.6 million - a club-record fee at the time. With City, Rodri became a key figure in Pep Guardiola's team, winning four consecutive English league titles (2020-2024).
In the 2022-23 season he scored the winning goal in the Champions League final against Inter, securing the club's first title in the competition and completing a historic treble. He was named the Champions League Player of the Season.
In 2024 Rodri won the Ballon d'Or, becoming the second Spanish player in history after Luis Suárez (1960) and the first Manchester City player to receive the award.
Despite suffering a serious cruciate ligament injury in September 2024, he returned to the pitch in May 2025.
He made his debut for the Spain national team in 2018. He won the 2023 UEFA Nations League (Player of the Tournament) and Euro 2024, where he was named the best player of the championship.
Rodri Personal Life
Rodri is known for his quiet and reserved lifestyle. During his time at Villarreal he studied simultaneously at Jaume I University in Castellón and earned a degree in Business Administration and Management.
At the university he met his girlfriend Laura, who studied medicine. Rodri avoids active presence on social media and prefers a private life away from publicity.
Interesting Facts about Rodri
- As a child he was released from the Atlético academy due to a "lack of physical strength", but years later he returned as a key player.
- In the 2023 Champions League final he scored the only goal of the match, bringing City their first title in the history of the tournament.
- In the 2023-24 season he became the most involved Premier League player in terms of attacking build-up actions.
- During Euro 2024 he was named Player of the Tournament, demonstrating 92% passing accuracy.
- At the 2022 World Cup he was used as a central defender, highlighting his versatility.
- Pep Guardiola called him "the best midfielder in the world right now", and many experts consider him the benchmark of the modern defensive midfielder.
Rodri Statistics
Club statistics
| Club | League | Season | Apps (League) | Goals | Apps (Cups) | Goals | Apps (Continental) | Goals | Other apps | Goals | Total apps | Total goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villarreal | La Liga | 2015/16 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 2016/17 | 23 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | ||
| 2017/18 | 37 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 1 | ||
| Total | 63 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 84 | 2 | ||
| Atlético Madrid | La Liga | 2018/19 | 34 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 3 |
| Total | 34 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 3 | ||
| Manchester City | Premier League | 2019/20 | 35 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 4 |
| 2020/21 | 34 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 2 | ||
| 2021/22 | 33 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 7 | ||
| 2022/23 | 36 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 56 | 4 | ||
| 2023/24 | 34 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 50 | 9 | ||
| 2024/25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2025/26 | 17 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2 | ||
| Total | 192 | 23 | 35 | 2 | 56 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 289 | 28 |
Total career (clubs)
| Apps (League) | Goals | Cups | Goals | Continental | Goals | Other | Goals | Total apps | Total goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 289 | 27 | 50 | 2 | 74 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 420 | 33 |
Rodri goals for Spain national team
| No. | Date | Stadium | Opponent | Goal | Result | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17.11.2020 | Olympic Stadium, Seville | Germany | 3:0 | 6:0 | UEFA Nations League |
| 2 | 26.03.2024 | Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid | Brazil | 1:0 | 3:3 | Friendly match |
| 3 | 26.03.2024 | Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid | Brazil | 3:2 | 3:3 | Friendly match |
| 4 | 30.06.2024 | RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne | Georgia | 1:1 | 4:1 | Euro 2024 |
Total for the national team:
- Goals: 4
Rodri Scandals
Rodri is considered one of the calmest and most disciplined players, however there have been several controversial episodes in his career.
The most notable occurred in 2026 after the Manchester City - Tottenham match (2:2), when the midfielder sharply criticized the refereeing and stated that "the referee must be neutral", hinting at possible bias. For these comments the English Football Association found him guilty of improper conduct and fined him approximately £80,000, although he avoided suspension.
Another discussion arose in the summer of 2024 when Rodri sang the slogan "Gibraltar is Spanish" during the celebration of Spain's Euro victory. The statement was perceived as political and led to a UEFA disciplinary investigation following a complaint from the Gibraltar Football Association.
Additionally, minor controversies occasionally appeared in the media regarding his public comments (for example criticism of Vinícius Júnior that provoked a reaction from Neymar) and some off-field episodes, although they did not have serious sporting consequences.
