Pedro announces retirement

Spanish former Barcelona winger and World Cup champion Pedro Rodriguez announced his retirement from football on Monday at the age of 39. The striker won the 2010 World Cup with Spain, in addition to three UEFA Champions League titles with Barcelona, including two in 2009 and 2011 as part of Pep Guardiola’s dominant side. Pedro also won five league titles with the Catalan club and an English Premier League title with Chelsea, before moving to Italian side Roma and finally to their rivals Lazio. Football fans will remember Pedro as the first player in history to score in six different competitions for his club in a single calendar year, an achievement he reached in 2009 with Barcelona. In a social media post, Pedro said, “I feel the time has come. The moment to take a step forward and begin a new chapter in my life.” He added, “I leave proud that I lived my dream, and grateful to everyone who stood by me to make it happen.” Born in Tenerife (Spanish Canary Islands), he joined Barcelona’s youth academy as a teenager and made his first-team debut in 2008. He emerged under Guardiola as one of the key figures in the team that won an unprecedented six trophies in 2009. He particularly partnered with Argentina’s Lionel Messi and compatriot David Villa, forming a fiery trio that defeated Manchester United in the 2011 Champions League final, where Pedro opened the scoring. He scored 99 goals in 321 matches for the Catalan club, alongside Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, and other stars.