Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who won the Ballon d’Or award, was born in Madrid, Spain to his parents. He grew up along with his two brothers, who also share a passion for soccer.
Rodri, whose full name is Rodrigo Hernández Cascante, won the prestigious award for the first time. He played a key role in helping his team win their fourth consecutive Premier League trophy last season.
This year, the Spanish midfielder was named the best player at the European Championship after Spain won their fourth title.
Highlights
- The Spanish star soccer player Rodri’s family includes his mother, father, brothers, and wife, Laura.
- Rodri shared that, he made a deal with his parents when he was very young. “If he wanted to chase his football dream, he also had to attend university.”
- The soccer player mentioned how important education was in his family and expressed gratitude to his parents for always supporting him.
While giving his acceptance speech, the 28-year-old said, “Today is not a victory for me; it is for Spanish football.”
“One day I told my father: I’m quitting football, my dream is over. But he told me… no, keep going, we’ll try until the end. Today I’m here and I’m proud, I have to be thankful.”
Rodri
Well, it is also thanks to his parents for believing in his dream and being by his side at every step.
Rodri’s Parents Prioritized Education, But He Loved Football, So He Made A Deal
The Spanish midfielder may now be a soccer superstar, but he grew up studying hard like millions of other kids. He has revealed that education was really important in his family.
However, one thing that set him apart was his burning passion for football from a young age.
“When it comes to football, I am an addict. If I am normal it is probably in the sense that I don’t care about social media or £400 trainers. Since I was a kid, I have simply been chasing a feeling.“
Rodri told The Players Tribune
Rodri explained that he didn’t want to be a footballer for a Ferrari. It was because his heroes on the pitch made him feel alive.
Rodri:
— Rodri Brasil 🇧🇷❤️🔥 (@Portal_Rodri) October 28, 2024
“Um dia disse ao meu pai: pare, eu saio do futebol, meu sonho acabou. Mas ele me disse… não, continue, vamos tentar até o fim”.
“Hoje estou aqui e estou orgulhoso, tenho que agradecer”. pic.twitter.com/nMNemq268d
The Madrid native remembered being five year-old, with a communal pool and a little garden in his neighborhood.
In the summer, it was football, then pool, football again, and pool again. He would go home for lunch and then go back to the pool and garden.
“By the age of 10, if I played a match and I didn’t perform well, I couldn’t speak to my parents for a whole day. I was too upset with myself. I am sure that my mom was looking at me, thinking: “What the hell is wrong with him? It’s just a game. But for me, it was almost like a dr-ug.”
Rodri told The Players Tribune
But his parents wanted him to study and attend university. Rodri revealed that he made a deal with his parents when he was very young.
He said it wasn’t formally discussed but just “understood.” If he wanted to chase his football dream, he also had to attend university.
When he was 17, he moved from Madrid to Villarreal and enrolled at Jaume I University. In his first year, he stayed in the Villarreal Academy residences with his teammates.
At 18, he was considered “old” and needed his own apartment. His mom suggested, “Why don’t you move into the student housing at uni?” So, he did.
The Madrid native lived in a student apartment complex with shared facilities. He had a small room with basic furniture and just a laptop.
His routine was training at Villarreal in the morning and attending classes in the afternoon.
Soon after, his father helped him to buy a car; after he got his license, he told his father, “OK, I have 3,000 euros to buy a car. See what you can find me.”
Rodri’s father called him back the next day, saying he found a good one. “This old lady is selling it. She wants 4,000, but it’s got a computer in it.”
“I’m like: Wow. A computer? It’s a deal.” His father brought him the car and it was an Opel Corsa.
The athlete disclosed that his teammates made fun of him, but he didn’t care and he loved it!
His joy and passion were what truly mattered. Today, after achieving his dream, Rodri is fulfilling his own ambitions and those of his entire country. Not to mention how proud his parents and family are of him.
Additional Information
- The Manchester City’s midfielder Rodri’s estimated net worth is around 15.6 million euros.
- As reported by Marca, Rodri earns 180K euros per week (equivalent to $230K playing for Manchester City.
- The soccer player’s market value is over 140 million euros as of 2024.
