Pedri

Pedro González López, widely known as Pedri, is a Spanish professional footballer renowned for his prowess as a central midfielder. Born on November 25, 2002, Pedri has quickly risen through the ranks to establish himself as a key player for both Barcelona in La Liga and the Spain national team.
Pedri's playing style is characterized by his exceptional technical skills, vision, and versatility on the field. Despite his young age, he possesses remarkable composure and intelligence, often dictating the pace of the game from midfield. His ability to control the ball, distribute passes accurately, and navigate through tight spaces has earned him praise from fans and pundits alike.


After joining Barcelona from Las Palmas in 2019, Pedri made an immediate impact with his mature performances, catching the attention of football enthusiasts worldwide. His seamless adaptation to the high demands of playing for a prestigious club like Barcelona underscores his immense talent and potential.
In addition to his club success, Pedri has also represented the Spain national team, showcasing his skills on the international stage. As one of the brightest young talents in Spanish football, Pedri's promising career trajectory suggests that he will continue to leave a significant mark on the sport for years to come.


Pedri's journey in professional football began when he joined Las Palmas's youth setup in 2018, transitioning from Juventud Laguna. His talent quickly caught the attention of the club, and on 15 July 2019, at the tender age of 16, he signed a professional four-year contract with Las Palmas. Under the guidance of manager Pepe Mel, Pedri was promoted to the first team, marking the beginning of his senior career.
At just 16 years old, Pedri made his professional debut for Las Palmas on 18 August 2019, showcasing his precocious talent in a match against Huesca in the Segunda División. Despite the team's 0–1 loss, Pedri's performance hinted at his immense potential. He continued to impress, and on 19 September of the same year, he etched his name in Las Palmas history by scoring his first professional goal in a home victory against Sporting Gijón. This milestone made him the youngest goalscorer in Las Palmas history, achieving the feat at the age of 16 years, 9 months, and 23 days.


Pedri's journey with Barcelona began with an agreement reached on 2 September 2019 with Las Palmas for his transfer, effective from 1 July 2020. The young midfielder signed a two-year contract with Barcelona, with the club paying €5 million for the deal, with potential additional fees based on performance-related clauses. He was assigned the number 16 shirt and joined the main squad for the 2020–21 season.
Making his debut on 27 September 2020 in a 4–0 victory against Villarreal, Pedri quickly established himself as a key player for Barcelona. He scored his first goal for the club on his UEFA Champions League debut on 20 October 2020, in a 5–1 win over Ferencváros. In a 5–2 win over Real Betis on 7 November 2020, Pedri scored his first La Liga goal.


Pedri continued to impress throughout the season, contributing significantly to Barcelona's success. He scored a crucial headed goal against Athletic Bilbao on 6 January 2021 and played a vital role in Barcelona's 4–0 victory over Athletic in the Copa del Rey final on 17 April 2021, earning his first senior trophy.
In May 2021, Pedri reached a significant milestone, making his 50th appearance for Barcelona at just 18 years and 164 days old, becoming the second-youngest player to achieve this feat in the club's history.
Pedri's exceptional performances did not go unnoticed, as he was awarded the Golden Boy award and the 2021 Kopa Trophy for being the best player in European football under the age of 21.


On 13 February 2022, Pedri scored the fastest goal in the Derbi Barceloní of the 21st century, finding the net just 75 seconds into the match against Espanyol.
However, Pedri faced a setback on 14 April 2022, when he suffered a hamstring injury during Barcelona's Europa League quarter-final clash with Frankfurt, which led to concerns about him missing the rest of the season.
Despite the injury setback, Pedri continued to make significant contributions to Barcelona's success, reaching his 100th appearance for the club on 28 January 2023 in a La Liga game against Girona, where he also scored the only goal of the match after coming on as a substitute.


Pedri's international career reached new heights when he was included in Luis Enrique's 24-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020 on 24 May 2021. Making history on 14 June 2021, Pedri became the youngest player ever to represent Spain at the European Championships, starting in the 0–0 draw against Sweden at just 18 years, 6 months, and 18 days old, breaking a record that had stood since Euro 1980.
Continuing to make waves, Pedri became the youngest player to feature in a knockout game at the European Championships on 28 June 2021, starting in the last-16 match against Croatia at 18 years and 215 days old. Despite an unfortunate own goal during the match, Spain emerged victorious with a 5–3 win in extra time.


Throughout the tournament, Pedri showcased his exceptional talent and maturity on the field, playing all but one minute of Spain's six matches. He played a crucial role in Spain's run to the semifinals, where they were eventually defeated 4–2 on penalties by eventual winners Italy following a 1–1 draw after extra time. In the semifinal match, Pedri's outstanding performance included completing 65 of the 66 passes he attempted.
Pedri's contributions did not go unnoticed, as he was awarded the Young Player of the Tournament for his exceptional performances. Additionally, he was the only Spanish player named in the Team of the Tournament, further solidifying his status as one of the brightest young talents in European football.


Despite concerns raised by Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman over the workload, Pedri was called up to the Spain squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics on 29 June 2021. This decision sparked controversy, as Pedri was already involved in UEFA Euro 2020 earlier in the summer.
Pedri's participation in the Olympics began with him playing the full 90 minutes in Spain's opening match against Egypt on 22 July 2021. Remarkably, this match marked Pedri's 66th game of the season, highlighting his exceptional endurance and commitment to both club and country.
In the final, which was Pedri's 73rd game of the season, Spain faced Brazil. Despite their efforts, Spain suffered a heartbreaking 2–1 loss to Brazil in extra time, narrowly missing out on Olympic gold.

References

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. ^ "Pedri | 2022/2023 player page | Midfielder | FC Barcelona Official website". www.fcbarcelona.com. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
3. ^ "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.
4. ^ "Pedri, la joven realidad y figura de España en la Copa del Mundo 2022". ESPN (in Spanish). 25 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
5. ^ "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.
6. ^ "'Pedri', el tinerfeño que Pepe Mel quiere para la a UD Las Palmas" ['Pedri', the tinerfeño who Pepe Mal wants for Las Palmas] (in Spanish). El Diario. 6 July 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
7. ^ "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.
8. ^ "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.
9. ^ "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.