Former Spain and Barcelona forward Pedro Rodríguez retires from football at age 39
Pedro Rodríguez has announced his retirement from professional football at age 39, closing an eighteen-year career that yielded 26 titles across spells with Barcelona, Chelsea, Lazio, and Spain.
Video announcement at Camp Nou
Spanish forward Pedro Rodríguez has officially announced his retirement from professional football at age 39. The Tenerife native published a farewell video filmed on the pitch at Barcelona's Camp Nou, where his senior career began eighteen years earlier. In the video, he looked back on a professional journey that yielded 26 collective trophies across club and international football.
Today I return to where it all began, to close a wonderful chapter. I feel it is the moment.
His departure marks the exit of the final active member from Spain's 2010 World Cup-winning squad who was signed to a professional club, with fellow winners Sergio Ramos and Raúl Albiol currently unsigned free agents. Over a career spanning more than 840 official matches and exceeding 200 goals, Pedro represented Barcelona, Chelsea, Roma, and Lazio.
The Barcelona era and scoring record
Pedro made his first-team debut for Barcelona on 12 January 2008, entering as a substitute for Samuel Eto'o under Frank Rijkaard. Manager Pep Guardiola subsequently promoted him from Barcelona B for the 2008–2009 campaign, where he established himself as a versatile forward. In 2009, Pedro became the first footballer to score in six different club competitions in a single calendar year, finding the net in La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the UEFA Champions League, the Spanish Super Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Being part of the best Barça in history was a privilege. We won everything and amazed the world.
Across nine seasons with the Catalan club, Pedro recorded 99 goals in 321 appearances and secured 20 trophies. His haul at Barcelona included five La Liga titles, three Champions League trophies, three Copas del Rey, four Spanish Super Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, and two Club World Cups. He concluded his Barcelona tenure in August 2015 after scoring the winning goal in a 5–4 UEFA Super Cup victory against Sevilla.
- Makes senior debut for Barcelona as a substitute for Samuel Eto'o
- Scores in six distinct club competitions in a single calendar year
- Starts for Spain in the World Cup final victory over the Netherlands
- Wins the European Championship with Spain
- Scores the UEFA Super Cup winner for Barcelona and transfers to Chelsea
- Signs with Lazio after one season with Roma
- Announces retirement from professional football
International silverware and England
Pedro earned selection to the Spanish national team ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, where he started the final against the Netherlands. He added a European Championship winners medal at Euro 2012 as Spain defended its continental crown. Following his departure from Barcelona in 2015, Pedro joined English Premier League side Chelsea. During his five seasons at Stamford Bridge, he collected a Premier League title, an FA Cup, and a UEFA Europa League trophy.
- FC Barcelona
- 20 trophies
- Chelsea
- 3 trophies
- Spain national team
- 2 trophies
Final years across the Rome divide
Pedro moved to Italian football in 2020, spending a single campaign with Roma before crossing the city rivalry to sign with Lazio in 2021. He made 209 appearances and scored 39 goals for Lazio, becoming one of only three players, alongside Arne Selmosson and Aleksandar Kolarov, to score for both clubs in the Rome derby. In the 2024–2025 campaign, he recorded ten Serie A goals and four Europa League goals.
I arrived as a veteran and they treated me like a son. Italy touched my heart.
His Lazio contract ended on 30 June 2026. Following work with his charitable foundation in Tenerife and an appearance with FIFA president Gianni Infantino in Hong Kong, Pedro confirmed he has no immediate plans to enter coaching, choosing instead to step away from football.
