*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:52, 16 March 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:59, 18 November 2024 (UTC)
Pedro González López (born 25 November 2002), more commonly known asPedri, is a Spanish professionalfootballer who plays as amidfielder forLa Liga clubBarcelona and theSpain national team. Considered one of the best players in the world, Pedri is known for his exceptional vision, technical ability, precise passing, and dribbling.[2][3]
Pedri joinedLas Palmas's youth setup in 2018 from Juventud Laguna.[6][7] On 15 July 2019, aged only 16, he signed a professional four-year contract with the club, being promoted to the first team by managerPepe Mel.[8]
Pedri made his professional debut on 18 August 2019, aged only 16, by starting in a 0–1 home loss againstHuesca in theSegunda División.[9] He scored his first professional goal on 19 September, with the game's only goal in a home victory overSporting Gijón and became the youngest goalscorer in Las Palmas history at 16 years, 9 months and 23 days of age.[10][11]
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.[12] Assigned to the main squad for the2020–21 season and with the number 16 shirt,[13] Pedri made his debut on 27 September, replacingPhilippe Coutinho in a 4–0 home win againstVillarreal inLa Liga.[14] He received his first start on 17 October in a 0–1away loss againstGetafe.[15] On 20 October, Pedri scored his first goal for the club on hisUEFA Champions League debut, in a 5–1 win overFerencváros in thegroup stage, after coming on as a substitute in the 61st minute forAnsu Fati.[16] On 7 November, in a 5–2home win overReal Betis, he scored his first goal in La Liga after an assist fromSergi Roberto.[17]
On 6 January 2021, he scored a headed goal againstAthletic Bilbao and assisted Barcelona's second goal in a 3–2 win atSan Mamés.[18] On 17 April, Pedri won the first trophy of his senior career after Barcelona beat Athletic 4–0 in theCopa del Rey final.[19] 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 againstAtlético Madrid atCamp Nou, thus becoming the second-youngest player to reach this milestone afterBojan Krkić, who was 18 years and 3 days when he reached 50 appearances.[20] In the middle of October 2021 Pedri signed a new contract with Barcelona which contained a record €1 billion ($1.57 billion) release clause.[21]
On 22 November 2021, Pedri won theGolden Boy award presented byTuttosport for being the best player in European football under the age of 21.[22] The following week he also received the 2021Kopa Trophy, awarded byFrance Football, for being the best performing player in world football under the age of 21.[23]
On 13 February 2022, Pedri scored the fastestDerbi Barceloní goal of the 21st century, clocking in at 75 seconds in a 2–2 draw againstEspanyol.[24][25] Later that year, on 14 April, Pedri picked up a hamstring injury during Barcelona's second legged quarter-finalEuropa League clash withFrankfurt, in which they were eliminated. Subsequently, it was announced that Pedri could miss the rest of the season.[26]
On 28 January 2023, Pedri made his 100th appearance in all competitions in a La Liga game againstGirona. He was brought on in the 26th minute for injuredOusmane Dembélé and scored the only goal in the match.[27] By the end of the2022–23 season, he managed to achieve his first La Liga title with Barcelona under coachXavi.[28]
With the arrival of new managerHansi Flick at Barcelona in the 2024–25 season, Pedri improved upon his fitness greatly, and enjoyed a strong and largely injury-free start to the season.[29]
On 21 January 2025, he assistedEric García for Barcelona's equalizer againstBenfica to make the game 4–4, with Barcelona eventually winning the game 5–4 and securing a top 8 spot in the league phase ofChampions League.[30] Later that month, on 30 January, he extended his contract with the club until 2030.[31]
On 24 May 2021, Pedri was included in Luis Enrique's24-man squad forUEFA Euro 2020.[35] On 14 June, he became the youngest player ever to represent Spain at the European Championships, when he started in the 0–0 draw againstSweden at the age of 18 years, 6 months, and 18 days, breaking the previous record set byMiguel Tendillo inEuro 1980.[36] On 28 June, Pedri became the youngest player to feature in a knock-out game at the European Championships when he started in the round of 16 againstCroatia, aged 18 years and 215 days; however, he scored anown goal when goalkeeperUnai Simón failed to control his long pass back. Spain eventually won the match 5–3 in extra-time.[37][38] 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 winnersItaly following a 1–1 draw after extra-time; during the latter match, he completed 65 of the 66 passes he attempted.[39][40] For his performances, he was voted theYoung Player of the Tournament,[40] and was the only Spanish player in the tournament to be named in theTeam of the Tournament.[41]
On 29 June 2021, Pedri was called up to theSpain squad for the2020 Summer Olympics.[42] The move to include Pedri in Spain's Olympic squad attracted criticism from Barcelona, with managerRonald Koeman branding the decision to call up Pedri for two international tournaments in the same summer as "too much".[43] On 22 July, Pedri played the full 90 minutes in Spain's 0–0 opener againstEgypt. The game was Pedri's 66th of theseason.[44] In thefinal, Pedri's 73rd game of the season, Spain suffered a 2–1 loss toBrazil in extra-time.[45]
Pedri was named in Spain's squad for the2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[46] He started in all four of Spain's matches. Spain were knocked out byMorocco in the Round of 16 onpenalties.[47]
Pedri was called up to Spain'sUEFA Euro 2024 squad despite not having been featured in the national side since the World Cup due to prolonged injury issues. He scored his first senior international goals in a friendly againstNorthern Ireland on 8 June 2024, contributing with a brace to a 5–1 win.[48] Pedri started in Spain's opening match againstCroatia, assisting the second goal in a 3–0 win toFabián Ruiz; he also started in the followinggroup stage match, a 1–0 win overItaly, and theround of 16 4–1 victory overGeorgia. In thequarter-final clash withGermany, Pedri left the field in the eighth minute after being fouled byToni Kroos, with what was later diagnosed as an inner ligament stretch of the knee;Dani Olmo replaced him in the match and the rest of the tournament, as Spain went on to be crowned champions.[49]
Pedri usually plays in a free midfield 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.[50][51][52][53] Indeed, although he initially played as a winger, he was later moved to acentral midfield role, although he is also capable of playing as anattacking midfielder, as well as in several otheroffensive andmidfield roles. He has also occasionally been used as adefensive midfielder and even as acentre-forward.
Pedri is considered a quick, intelligent, creative, and hard-working player, known for his excellent technical skills,dribbling, 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 with either foot, making him an effectiveplaymaker.[54][22][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62] Moreover, he is also highly regarded for hisdribbling skills, his stamina, his calm composure under pressure, and his ability to play with either foot.[50] His role has been amezzala in the Italian sports media.[63] His exceptional dribbling, ball control, and ability to navigate tight spaces makes him a joy to watch for many football fans.[64] His slight frame, qualities, position, and playing style have led him to be compared to former Barcelona players such asXavi,[55][65]Andrés Iniesta,[66][67][68]Michael Laudrup,[68] andLionel Messi.[62][69][70][71]
^"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. Retrieved16 September 2022.
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