Former Barcelona Winger Pedro Retires From Football

Former Barcelona and Spain winger Pedro Rodriguez has retired from professional football at the age of 39, ending a career that included a World Cup triumph, three Champions League titles and major domestic honours in Spain and England.

Pedro announced his retirement on Wednesday, saying he believed the time had come to move into a new phase of his life. 

He described his career as a dream fulfilled and expressed pride in the people who supported him throughout his journey.

“I feel that the moment has come. The moment to take a step forward and begin a new stage in my life,” Pedro said. 

“I leave proud of having lived my dream and of all the people who were by my side to make it come true.”

Born in Tenerife, Pedro joined Barcelona’s youth academy as a teenager before making his first-team debut in 2008.

He quickly became an important part of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona side, which won six trophies in 2009. 

Pedro was also part of the teams that secured Champions League titles in 2009 and 2011, with the winger scoring in the 2011 final against Manchester United.

During his Barcelona career, Pedro scored 99 goals in 321 appearances and played alongside some of the club’s biggest stars, including Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez.

He described his time in what he regarded as the greatest Barcelona team in history as a privilege, recalling the club’s success and its impact on world football.

“Being part of the best Barca side in history was a privilege, we won everything and amazed the world,” said Pedro in his farewell video.

With Spain, Pedro won the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European Championship. He earned 65 international caps, scoring 17 goals, and featured in Spain’s World Cup final victory over the Netherlands in South Africa.

Pedro later moved to Chelsea in 2015, where he won the Premier League title in 2017. He also helped the London club win the FA Cup and Europa League in the following two seasons.

After leaving Chelsea, he continued his career in Italy with Roma before joining Lazio. He made more than 200 appearances for Lazio and left the club at the end of last season, bringing his playing career to a close.

Across his career, Pedro won five La Liga titles with Barcelona and added major honours in England and Europe to his international achievements.

Reflecting on his career, Pedro said becoming a world champion and starting in a World Cup final was something he had once struggled to imagine, but ultimately achieved.