Pedro, the historic footballer: "He stopped being Pedrito when he started in the World Cup final"

There are not many active footballers left of those who played in that final in South Africa in which Spain touched the sky in 2010. On top of that, even fewer who left from the start. He, a regular but not an undisputed starter in Guardiola's Barça team, did not expect to be in the eleven, but Vicente del Bosque gave him the best football memory of his career.. “Stop being Pedrito and become Pedro,” they say from their surroundings.

Pedro Rodríguez (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 1987) is one of the 23 who gave Spain its first and only star on its shield. History of the national team when it had just set an impressive record at the club level. In 2009, the year of Guardiola's sextet, Pedro scored a goal in all the competitions that FC Barcelona played in. In the team of Xavi, Iniesta and Messi, the Canary Islander made a place for himself in culé memories.

However, despite all that brilliance, he has always been a discreet footballer.. Of humble origins, the canary learned from a young age the culture of work, perseverance and effort.. “He is not a boy who has great public praise, but his record leaves you with your mouth open,” close sources say.. A World Cup and a European Championship with Spain; three Champions Leagues, one Europa League, six Leagues, three Copas del Rey, four Spanish Super Cups and three European Super Cups, among other trophies, with Barcelona and Chelsea.

Sarri's efforts

He arrived at the English team in 2015 after a bid between Manchester United and the team then led by Mourinho.. The Portuguese convinced the Canary Islander and took him for 30 million euros. However, something broke between them when the coach was fired.. Thus, when Roma signed the player from Setúbal in 2021, he pushed Pedro, who had arrived a year earlier, to leave the team.

Mou was the trigger for the third historic moment in the canary's career. His signing for Lazio, the other team in the city and main rival, was a transfer that had not occurred since 1981 with Carletto Perrone. Although, the credit also went to his current coach, Maurizio Sarri, who fell in love with his game when they met at Chelsea.. “He is the one who put the most effort into signing him,” say sources close to the Canary Islander.

Already at Lazio he once again wrote his name in the football book when he overtook the Italians against AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Conference League last year. He became the first footballer in history to score in all the final phases of the three European competitions (Champions, Europe and Conference League).

New role

This season he is not the undisputed starter in Sarri's plans, but he is coming off as a shock.. As one of the captains and the oldest, he is 36 years old, he assumes his role “with experience and calmness” as “player number 12”, they say from those around him.. Today, surely, he will play to try to seal first place in the Champions League against Atlético de Madrid. If they manage to win, another small feat will be added to the history of the canary. Lazio would break Simeone's team's streak of 19 games without losing.

The good thing is that the canary fits into the three attacking positions: Right winger, left winger or false nine. “People don't know if they are left-handed or right-handed,” close sources explain.. So the possibilities he offers his coach are much greater than other teammates.

Whatever happens tonight. Pedro, the historic footballer, will not make a big fuss online. With a reserved nature, the Canary Islander is happy in Rome, although he recently stated in an interview that his dream would be to retire at Barcelona.. “If they tell me and Xavi calls me, before he hangs up and regrets it, I'll come,” he commented sarcastically.

Another team in his heart is that of his homeland, Tenerife, where he has never played, but where “they love him a lot”, according to those around him.. They approached him this summer and, although he knows that the end of his career is near, he still sees himself as having enough level to continue competing in the top European competition and to continue making history.