In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is González and the second or maternal family name is López.
Pedri
Pedri.png
Pedri in 2019
Personal information
Full name Pedro González López[1]
Date of birth (2002-11-25) 25 November 2002 (age 19)
Place of birth Bajamar, Spain
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position(s) Central midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Barcelona
Number 8
Youth career
Tegueste
2015–2018 Juventud Laguna
2018–2019 Las Palmas
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2020 Las Palmas 36 (4)
2020– Barcelona 60 (8)
National team‡
2019 Spain U17 5 (0)
2019 Spain U18 2 (1)
2020 Spain U19 1 (0)
2020 Spain U21 4 (0)
2021 Spain U23 7 (0)
2021– Spain 14 (0)
Honours
Men's football
Representing  Spain
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2020 Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:47, 23 October 2022 (UTC)[2]
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:51, 10 October 2022 (UTC)[2]

Pedro González López (born 25 November 2002), known as Pedri, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club Barcelona and the Spain national team.[3][4][5]

Early life[edit]

Born in Bajamar, Tenerife, Canary Islands,[6] Pedri's family moved to Tegueste, a nearby town, when he was 3. Pedri joined UD Tegueste, starting as a centre-back. At 12, Pedri signed for CF Juventud Laguna, where he played until 2018.[7]

Club career[edit]

Las Palmas[edit]

Pedri joined Las Palmas's youth setup in 2018 from Juventud Laguna.[8][9] On 15 July 2019, aged only 16, he signed a professional four-year contract with the club, being promoted to the first team by manager Pepe Mel.[10]

Pedri made his professional debut on 18 August 2019, aged only 16, by starting in a 0–1 home loss against Huesca in the Segunda División.[11] He scored his first professional goal on 19 September, with the game's only goal in a home victory over Sporting Gijón and became the youngest goalscorer in Las Palmas history at 16 years, 9 months and 23 days of age.[12][13]

Barcelona[edit]

On 2 September 2019, Barcelona reached an agreement with Las Palmas for the transfer of Pedri, effective as of the following 1 July 2020. The player agreed to a two-year contract with the Catalan club, who paid €5 million for the deal, which would increase as he fulfilled various clauses in his contract.[14] Assigned to the main squad for the 2020–21 season and with the number 16 shirt,[15] Pedri made his debut on 27 September, replacing Philippe Coutinho in a 4–0 home win against Villarreal in La Liga.[16] He received his first start on 17 October in a 0–1 away loss against Getafe.[17] On 20 October, Pedri scored his first goal for the club on his UEFA Champions League debut, in a 5–1 win over Ferencváros in the group stage, after coming on as a substitute in the 61st minute for Ansu Fati.[18] On 7 November, in a 5–2 home win over Real Betis, he scored his first goal in La Liga after an assist from Sergi Roberto.[19]

On 6 January 2021, he scored a headed goal against Athletic Bilbao and assisted Barcelona's second goal in a 3–2 win at San Mamés.[20] On 17 April, Pedri won the first trophy of his senior career after Barcelona beat Athletic 4–0 in the Copa del Rey final.[21] On 8 May, at 18 years and 164 days, Pedri made his 50th appearance for Barcelona in all competitions when he started in the 0–0 draw against Atlético Madrid at Camp Nou, thus becoming the second youngest player to reach this milestone after Bojan Krkić, who was 18 years and 3 days when he reached 50 appearances.[22]

In the middle of October 2021 Pedri signed a new contract with Barcelona which contained a record €1 billion ($1.57 billion) release clause. [23] On 29 November, Pedri won the 2021 Kopa Trophy, which is awarded by France Football to the best performing player under the age of 21.[24] On 13 February 2022, Pedri scored the fastest Derbi barceloní goal of the 21st century, clocking in at 75 seconds in a 2–2 draw against Espanyol.[25][26]

On 14 April 2022, Pedri picked up a hamstring injury during Barcelona's second legged quarter-final UEL clash with Frankfurt, in which they were eliminated. Subsequently, it was announced that Pedri could miss the rest of the season.[27]

International career[edit]

Youth career and early senior career[edit]

On 21 August 2020, Pedri was called up to the Spain under-21 squad; he later made his debut on 3 September in a 1–0 away win over Macedonia in a qualifying match for the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.[28]

In March 2021, Pedri received his first call up to the Spain senior team from coach Luis Enrique ahead of the group stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification.[29] He made his debut on 25 March against Greece.[30]

Euro 2020[edit]

On 24 May 2021, Pedri was included in Luis Enrique's 24-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020.[31] On 14 June, he became the youngest player ever to represent Spain at the European Championships, when he started in the 0–0 draw against Sweden aged 18 years, 6 months and 18 days, breaking the previous record set by Miguel Tendillo in Euro 1980.[32] On 28 June, Pedri became the youngest player to feature in a knock-out game at the European Championships when he started in the last-16 against Croatia, aged 18 years and 215 days; however, he scored an own goal when goalkeeper Unai Simón failed to control his long backpass. Spain eventually won match the 5–3 in extra-time.[33][34] He played all but one minute of Spain's six matches, and had an important impact on Spain's run to the semifinal, where they were defeated 4–2 on penalties by eventual winners Italy following a 1–1 draw after extra-time; during the latter match, he completed 65 of the 66 passes he attempted.[35][36] For his performances, he was voted the Young Player of the Tournament,[36] and was the only Spanish player in the tournament to be named in the Team of the Tournament.[37]

2020 Summer Olympics[edit]

On 29 June 2021, Pedri was called up to the Spain squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics.[38] The move to include Pedri in Spain's Olympic squad attracted criticism from Barcelona, with manager Ronald Koeman branding the decision to call up Pedri for two international tournaments in the same summer as "too much".[39] On 22 July, Pedri played the full 90 minutes in Spain's 0–0 opener against Egypt. The game was Pedri's 66th of the season.[40] In the final, Pedri's 73rd game of the season, Spain suffered a 2–1 loss to Brazil in extra-time.[41]

Style of play[edit]

Pedri is regarded as one of the most promising young footballers in the world in the football media.[4][3] Although he is often described as a winger by pundits, Pedri usually plays in a free role, which allows him to roam the pitch; he likes to occupy central areas and operate between the lines, although he is also capable of moving out wide and running towards the touchline to create chances for teammates. He even drops deep to the defence to pick up the ball. He normally situates himself on either the left or right flank, or even as a number 8.[4][42][43][44] Indeed, although he initially played as a winger, he was later moved to a central midfield role, although he is also capable of playing as an attacking midfielder, as well as in several other offensive and midfield roles. He has also occasionally been used as a defensive midfielder and even as a centre-forward.

Pedri is a quick, intelligent, creative, and hard-working player, who is known for his excellent technical skills, ball control, passing, awareness, and vision, as well as his ability to manage himself in tight spaces, exploit gaps, and play the final ball or penetrating passes, which makes him an effective playmaker.[45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52] Moreover, he is also highly regarded for his dribbling skills, his stamina, his calm composure under pressure, and his ability to play with either foot.[4] His role has been likened to that of a mezzala in the Italian sports media.[53] His slight frame, qualities, position, and playing style have led him to be compared to former Barcelona players such as Xavi,[45][54] Andrés Iniesta,[55][56][57] Michael Laudrup,[57] and Lionel Messi.[52][58][59][60]

Career statistics[edit]

Club[edit]

As of match played 26 October 2022[2]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Las Palmas 2019–20 Segunda División 36 4 1 0 — — 37 4
Barcelona 2020–21 La Liga 37 3 6 0 7[a] 1 2[b] 0 52 4
2021–22 12 3 1 1 8[c] 1 1[b] 0 22 5
2022–23 11 2 0 0 5[a] 0 0 0 16 2
Total 60 8 7 1 20 2 3 0 90 11
Career total 96 12 8 1 20 2 3 0 127 15
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  2. ^ a b Appearance(s) in Supercopa de España
  3. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League

International[edit]

As of match played 27 September 2022[61]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Spain 2021 10 0
2022 4 0
Total 14 0

Honours[edit]

Barcelona

Spain U23

Individual

References[edit]

  1. ^ "FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019: List of Players: Spain" (PDF). FIFA. 31 October 2019. p. 22. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 December 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d Pedri González at Soccerway
  3. ^ a b "50 for the future: UEFA.com's ones to watch for 2021". UEFA.com. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d "I 50 migliori teenager al mondo" (in Italian). sport.sky.it. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Pedri wins Golden Boy award for 2021 with Barcelona midfielder named best U21 in world". The Athletic. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Pedri: "Fui muy feliz en las piscinas de Bajamar"" [Pedri does not forget his origins; "I was very happy in the swimming pools of Bajamar"] (in Spanish). La Laguna TF. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Pedri, la joven realidad y figura de España en la Copa del Mundo 2022". ESPN (in Spanish). 25 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  8. ^ "El Tenerife desestimó a Pedri porque era pequeñito y flaco" [Tenerife discarded Pedri because he was small and weak] (in Spanish). Tinta Amarilla. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  9. ^ "'Pedri', el tinerfeño que Pepe Mel quiere para la UD Las Palmas" ['Pedri', the tinerfeño who Pepe Mal wants for Las Palmas] (in Spanish). El Diario. 6 July 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  10. ^ "El juvenil Pedri firma contrato profesional con la UD Las Palmas" [The juvenil Pedri signs professional contract with UD Las Palmas] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 15 July 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  11. ^ "El Huesca se lleva el triunfo gracias a un gol de Álex Gallar en la segunda parte" [Huesca get the triumph thanks to an Álex Gallar goal in the second half] (in Spanish). Marca. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  12. ^ "Pedri es una estrella: golazo y primera victoria de Las Palmas" [Pedri is a star: great goal and first win for Las Palmas] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 20 September 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
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  14. ^ "Barça i Las Palmas arriben a un acord per al traspàs de Pedri" [Barça and Las Palmas reach an agreement for the transfer of Pedri] (in Catalan). FC Barcelona. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  15. ^ "Pedri tendrá ficha del primer equipo y lucirá el dorsal '16'" [Pedri will have a first team place and will wear the '16' jersey] (in Spanish). Sport. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
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  20. ^ Marsden, Sam (7 January 2021). "Messi, Pedri both 9/10 as Barca's present, and future key comeback win at Bilbao". ESPN. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  21. ^ "FC Barcelona win their 31st Copa del Rey title". FC Barcelona. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  22. ^ "Pedri: Second youngest Barça player to make 50 appearances". FC Barcelona. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  23. ^ "Pedri: New Barcelona contract, October 2021". ESPN. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  24. ^ a b "Follow live updates from the 2021 Ballon d'Or". The Independent. 29 November 2021. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  25. ^ "De Jong grabs late Barcelona equaliser". BBC Sport. 13 February 2022.
  26. ^ "Caramelo de Alba, gol de Pedri y el Barça abrió la lata en el 2'". BeSoccer (in Spanish). 13 February 2022.
  27. ^ "Hamstring injury means Pedri is set to miss the rest of the season". MARCA. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  28. ^ "34 debutantes en la sub-21 desde que empezó la fase de clasificación" (in Spanish). SE Fútbol. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  29. ^ Brennan, Feargal (14 March 2021). "Barcelona star Pedri set for debut Spain senior call up". Football España. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  30. ^ "Spain v Greece game report". FIFA. 25 March 2021. Archived from the original on 1 April 2021.
  31. ^ Braidwood, Jamie (24 May 2021). "Euro 2020 news LIVE: Sergio Ramos left out of Spain squad plus latest before England announcement". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  32. ^ "Pedri, Spain's youngest ever player at European Championship". www.fcbarcelona.com. 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  33. ^ del Río, José (28 June 2021). "Unai Simon's horrific mistake for Croatia's opener". Marca. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  34. ^ "Unai Simon and Pedri team up for shocking Spain own goal - but keeper gains 'redemption'". BBC Sport. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  35. ^ "Italy 1-1 Spain (pens: 4-2): Azzurri hold nerve to reach EURO final". UEFA.com. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  36. ^ a b c "Pedri named Euro 2020 Young Player of the Tournament". UEFA. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  37. ^ a b "UEFA Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament revealed". UEFA. 13 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  38. ^ "Pedri, Garcia & Torres among Spain's Euro 2020 players named in Tokyo Olympics squad". Goal. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  39. ^ "'The Olympics is not football' - Why Barcelona tried to block Pedri's latest Spain selection". Goal. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  40. ^ "Pedri keeps rolling with game 66 of his season in Spain's Olympics opener". The Guardian. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  41. ^ "Tokyo 2020: FC Barcelona Olympic Diary". FC Barcelona. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  42. ^ "Pedri - Player Profile and The Reason Why Barcelona Signed Him". FootTheBall. 8 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  43. ^ "Could Pedri be 'skint' Barcelona's saviour?". BBC Sport. 24 November 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  44. ^ "30 talenti da tenere d'occhio nel 2021". sport.sky.it (in Italian). 1 January 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  45. ^ a b "Euro 2020 Pedri González Spain". TSN. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  46. ^ "Who are the 39 best male players age 21 or under?". ESPN.com. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  47. ^ Lowe, Sid (23 December 2020). "Has Lionel Messi's potential successor made him fall for football again?". the Guardian. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  48. ^ "Pedri: From Real Madrid rejection to breaking through at Barcelona". Marca. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  49. ^ "I 50 giovani da seguire nel 2021 secondo l'Uefa" (in Italian). sport.sky.it. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  50. ^ "Messi finds playmaking partner in 18-year-old Pedri". USA Today. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  51. ^ "AP Interview: Pedri brings back brilliance to Barça midfield". The Toronto Star. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  52. ^ a b "Messi remains Barcelona's talisman, but Pedri is the future". ESPN.com. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  53. ^ "Si decide in mezzo: Spagna maestra, ma l'Italia non è più classe operaia". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 6 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  54. ^ Singh Devgan, Arjun (19 July 2021). "Golden Boy Award 2021: 5 Most Valuable Nominees". 90min.com. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  55. ^ Dean, Sam (31 March 2021). "Project 2000: Pedri is Barcelona's 'new Iniesta' - and may yet convince Lionel Messi to stay". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  56. ^ Gispert, Ignasi Oliva (21 November 2019). "Pedri: The 'new Iniesta' that Barcelona moved quickly to sign". www.goal.com. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  57. ^ a b "Ronald Koeman: "Pedri must be the new Laudrup or the new Iniesta"". Football España. 13 February 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  58. ^ Lowe, Sid (23 December 2020). "Has Lionel Messi's potential successor made him fall for football again?". the Guardian. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  59. ^ "Barcelona warned against rushing Pedri into next Messi role as Rivaldo calls for patience with teenager". www.goal.com. 9 January 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  60. ^ "Calcio. Il Barcellona blinda Pedri fino al 2026 con super clausola da 1 miliardo". Rainews (in Italian). 14 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  61. ^ "Pedri". European Football. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  62. ^ Lowe, Sid (17 April 2021). "Messi stars as Barcelona thrash Athletic Bilbao to lift Copa del Rey". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  63. ^ "Champions League breakthrough team of 2020". UEFA. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  64. ^ "Pedri wins 2020/21 Aldo Rovira Award". BeSoccer. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  65. ^ "Pedri wins Golden Boy award for 2021 with Barcelona midfielder named best U21 in world". The Athletic. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  66. ^ "IFFHS Men's Youth (U20) World Best Player 2021". IFFHS. 2 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  67. ^ "Pedri and Aitana, Barça Players Award 2021-22". FC Barcelona. 1 June 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  68. ^ "LaLiga Santader Team of the Season". EA. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pedri.