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RODRI

Rodrigo Hernández Cascante
SPAIN · ESP · DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER · #16
22 JUN 1996 · Villarreal · Atlético Madrid · Manchester City
SPAIN · #16

🌎 WORLD CUP RECORD

0
TITLES
4
MATCHES
0
GOALS
YEARHOSTAPPSGOALSRESULT
2022Qatar40 ROUND OF 16
█ ATTRIBUTES
PACE 65
SHOOTING 80
PASSING 86
DRIBBLING 84
DEFENDING 86
PHYSICAL 85

⚡ DEFINING MOMENTS

▲ 2022 · Qatar, deployed out of position
Luis Enrique handed Rodri an unfamiliar brief in Qatar, stationing the natural holding midfielder as a ball-playing centre-back. He started all three group games — the 7-0 dismantling of Costa Rica, the 1-1 with Germany, the 2-1 loss to Japan — and held firm through 120 goalless minutes against Morocco in the last sixteen.
▲ 2022 · Out on penalties
Spain's tie with Morocco ended scoreless and went to spot-kicks. La Roja missed all three they took and were beaten 3-0 in the shootout, their tournament over in the Round of 16. Rodri had not taken one, but he left Qatar without a goal and without a quarter-final — the brief, frustrating sum of his only World Cup so far.

📜 CAREER TIMELINE

2015
Breaks into the Villarreal first team after rising through the club's academy.
2018
Joins Atlético Madrid and makes his senior debut for Spain.
2019
Signs for Manchester City and settles in as Pep Guardiola's holding midfielder.
2022
Plays at the World Cup in Qatar as Spain exit in the Round of 16 on penalties.
2023
Scores the only goal in the Champions League final against Inter, completing City's treble.
2024
Named Player of the Tournament as Spain win Euro 2024, then wins the Ballon d'Or.
◄ SCROLL ►
█ THE ALMANAC SPEAKS
PROF. INKSWORTH:

A metronome who, for club and continent, won very nearly everything a midfielder can — yet his single World Cup reads strangely thin: four matches, no goals, much of it spent at centre-back, and a quiet exit on penalties. The honours that defined him were earned everywhere but the finals. The almanac notes the gap and leaves it there.

  • His only World Cup, in 2022, brought no goals — he was used largely as a centre-back, not the holding role that made his name.
  • Spain missed all three penalties against Morocco; Rodri took none and watched the shootout decide it.
  • He won the Ballon d'Or in 2024, the same year he was named the best player at Euro 2024 — neither honour earned at a World Cup.
Ready.
Zone: Historical