Rodri
Active- Current or last club
- Barcelona
- Country (nationality)
- Spain
- League or competition
- La Liga
- Position
- Defensive midfielder
- How is the religion known?
- Stated publicly by the player
- Last checked
- 9 October 2026
“I’m a Christian, and I believe there’s someone up there helping me.“ - Rodri said after winning the 2026 World Cup
We list a player’s religion only where they have spoken about it publicly or it has been reliably reported, and we link our sources. If something is wrong, or a player’s views have changed, please tell us and we will review it.
Table of Contents
What religion is Rodri?
Rodri is a Spanish professional footballer who is a Christian. After winning the Ballon d’Or 2024, Rodri said, “I want to thank God because with these values and perseverance, in the end He rewards you.” Following Spain’s success, including the Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup, he stated, “I am a very devout Christian, and I believe there is someone up there helping me, for sure.” He has also said that when you do things right and keep faith, “God rewards you,” while sending a kiss to the sky.
Rodri is a defensive midfielder for the Premier League football club Manchester City as well as Spain’s national team. He began his senior career with Villarreal in 2015 before returning to his boyhood club, Atletico Madrid, three years later.
In 2019, Rodri signed a £62.6 million transfer deal with Manchester City, breaking the club’s transfer fee record at the time. Under his subsequent 2022 contract extension, he earns an average annual base salary of approximately $14.7 million (£11.4 million).
Rodri helped City secure four consecutive league titles from the 2020–21 through 2023–24 seasons. He scored the only goal in the 2023 UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan, as City won their first Champions League title.
Internationally, Rodri won the 2015 UEFA European Under-19 Championship with Spain’s youth team and later made his debut for the senior national team in 2018. He has since represented Spain at two UEFA European Championships (in 2020 and 2024) and two FIFA World Cups (in 2022 and 2026). With Spain, Rodri has won the 2023 UEFA Nations League, Euro 2024, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup and was awarded the 2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or as well as the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball.
Early life
Rodri was born on 22 June 1996 in Madrid, Spain. He is the son of Spanish parents, and he grew up in the Spanish capital alongside two brothers. When Rodri was ten years old, he began playing on the youth team of the local Madrid club CF Rayo Majadahonda. He later joined the youth academy of Atlético Madrid in 2007 at age 11 and then spent time with Villarreal’s youth academy to continue his development.
While at Villarreal, Rodri studied business administration and management at Jaume I University in Castellón de la Plana and later graduated in 2021.
Club career
Rodri made his debut for Villarreal’s first team in December 2015, starting in a 2–0 Copa del Rey home win against SD Huesca. His first La Liga appearance was on 17 April 2016, featuring as a second-half substitute in a 2-1 defeat away at Rayo Vallecano. Over three seasons with the club, he made 84 appearances.
Atlético Madrid
In May 2018, Atlético Madrid announced Rodri’s return from Villarreal on a five-year contract effective 1 July. He made his competitive debut in the 2018 UEFA Super Cup, which Atlético Madrid won 4–2 after extra time against Real Madrid. This victory secured Rodri his first trophy just months after returning to the club. He scored his first goal for the club on 10 November 2018, netting in a 3–2 win against Athletic Bilbao.
Manchester City
In July 2019, Atlético Madrid announced that Rodri would transfer to Manchester City FC after the English club activated his £62.8 million release clause. He made his Premier League debut that season and scored his first Premier League goal against Norwich City on 14 September 2019. He subsequently made 52 appearances across all competitions in his first season.
Rodri helped City win four consecutive Premier League titles from 2020-21 through 2023-24, along with an FA Cup, two EFL Cups, a UEFA Super Cup, and a FIFA Club World Cup. He scored the only goal in the 2023 Champions League final against Inter Milan, which gave City their first-ever European title as part of a continental treble, and he was named the competition’s Player of the Season.
On 22 September 2024, Rodri suffered a severe knee injury during a collision with Arsenal’s Thomas Partey. The injury ruled the Manchester City midfielder out for the rest of the 2024–25 season. He returned in May 2025 before featuring for City at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
With his contract running until June 2027, Manchester City continues an aggressive push for a massive contract extension through 2029 to ward off intensifying transfer interest from Real Madrid.
Barcelona
On 18 August 2026, Barcelona officially signed Rodri from Manchester City on a four-year contract through June 2030. The transfer fee for the Ballon d’Or winner is worth a reported £65.4 million.
Spain national team
Rodri progressed through Spain’s youth national teams, representing the country at the under-16, under-19, and under-21 levels, and won the UEFA European Under-19 Championship with Spain in 2015.
Rodri was called up to the senior Spain squad in 2018 and made his debut that year. He went on to play at UEFA Euro 2020 and helped Spain reach the final of the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League, where they finished runners-up. He was part of Spain’s squad at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Later that year, he helped Spain win the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League and was named Player of the Tournament at the finals.
In 2024, Rodri was a key figure as Spain won the UEFA European Championship, and he was awarded the Ballon d’Or that October. He captained Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, leading the team to the title with a final win over Argentina, and was named the tournament’s best player, with the Spanish midfielder winning the Adidas Golden Ball following a vote by FIFA’s Technical Study Group.
Personal life
Rodri has been in a long-term relationship with Laura Iglesias since they met at university while he was playing for Villarreal’s Under-21 side. Aside from that, Rodri does not use social media.
Sources
Sources are linked so you can check each claim yourself. Beliefs and public statements can change, so please check the source for the latest.
