Pedro announces retirement at 39 after World Cup and Champions League successes

Pedro Rodriguez announced his retirement from professional football on Wednesday in a post on social media, aged 39. The Spanish attacker won the 2010 World Cup with Spain and three Champions League titles with Barcelona.

Born in Tenerife, Pedro joined Barcelona’s development programme as a teenager and made his first-team debut in 2008. He was part of Pep Guardiola’s side that completed a six-trophy haul in 2009 and collected three Champions League winners’ medals with the club, including victories in 2009 and 2011. Pedro also claimed five LaLiga titles with Barcelona before leaving for Chelsea and later playing for AS Roma and Lazio.

Under Guardiola Pedro played a regular role in Barcelona’s attacking rotation and scored in the 2011 Champions League final against Manchester United. Across his Barcelona career he netted 99 goals in 321 appearances, playing alongside Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, and Xavi Hernandez among others. The article states he won 21 trophies there.

Pedro moved to Chelsea in 2015 and won the Premier League with the club in 2017. He also collected the FA Cup and the Europa League in the subsequent two seasons. The report noted that he won one league title with the club.

His final club was Lazio; he departed at the end of last season after making over 200 appearances in Serie A. A post summarising his career listed his clubs as Barcelona, Chelsea, AS Roma & Lazio and his national team as Spain.

“I feel that the moment has come. The moment to take a step forward and begin a new stage in my life,” said Pedro in a post on social media. “I leave proud of having lived my dream and of all the people who were by my side to make it come true.”

Pedro retires from professional football at 39, an announcement that follows his departure from Lazio at the end of last season.