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Rodrigo Hernández Cascante was born on 22 June 1996[9] in Madrid. He joined Atlético Madrid’s youth setup in 2007 aged 11, from CF Rayo Majadahonda. Released in 2013 due to a “lack of physical strength”, he subsequently signed with Villarreal. Rodri made his first-team debut on 17 December 2015, starting in a 2–0 home win against SD Huesca for that season’s Copa del Rey. His first La Liga appearance was on 17 April 2016, when he came on as a second-half substitute for Denis Suárez in a 2–1 away loss to Rayo Vallecano. Rodri is a physically strong and tall player. His physique helps him to frequently win tackles, challenges on opponent players, as well as aerial duels. He has a 73% success rate at tackles on opponent players, and has won 100% of his aerial duels in the 2022–23 season, according to Squawka. He averages a passing accuracy of 91–92%. Rodri is further known for his versatility and tactical intelligence. He is known for his contributions to his team’s build-up play. Often used as an anchor, or water carrier, his primary role is to win back possession in midfield and distribute the ball to start counterattacks. His ability to maintain possession under pressure allows him to perform this role effectively. In addition to his defensive abilities, Rodri also possesses accurate passing and vision, allowing him to operate as a deep-lying playmaker from the heart of the midfield. In the 2023–24 season, he was involved in more sequences of play than any other player in his team or in the Premier League. He is also known for his ability to set the tempo of the game. Besides his regular position of a holding midfielder, he has occasionally been used as a ball-playing centre-back, in particular by national team manager Luis Enrique during the 2022 World Cup. During his Manchester City tenure, he also worked to improve his goalscoring, and became known for his long-range shooting, which resulted in several goals, such as his match-winning goal from outside the box against Inter in 2023 UEFA Champions League Final. Despite not being particularly renowned for his pace, he has been credited by pundits for his ability to catch up with much faster attackers in midfield. Rodri was awarded the Ballon d’Or in 2024, recognizing his outstanding performances throughout the season. Many pundits currently consider Rodri to be one of the best defensive midfielders in world football. In January 2024, members of the ESPN FC staff debated whether Rodri was in fact that best player in the world at the moment. In March 2024, his Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola described him as “the best midfield player, currently, in the world by far.” That same month, The New York Times rated him as the best player in the Premier League, while former defender Rio Ferdinand believed that Rodri was already arguably the best defensive midfielder in the league’s history. He was nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or, ultimately finishing 5th. He won the 2024 Ballon d’Or, finishing ahead of Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, and Dani Carvajal. While a Villarreal youth player, Rodri studied at the Jaume I University in nearby Castellón de la Plana for four years to gain a degree in business administration and management. At university, he met his longterm girlfriend Laura, who was studying medicine. After playing for Spain at under-16, under-19 and under-21 levels, Rodri was first selected by the full side on 16 March 2018 for two friendlies with Germany and Argentina. He made his debut five days later, replacing Thiago Alcântara late in the 1–1 draw against Germany in Düsseldorf.