BARCELONA: Spanish World Cup winner and former Barcelona winger Pedro Rodriguez retired from football on Wednesday at the age of 39.

The forward won the 2010 World Cup with Spain as well as three Champions League titles with Barca, two of those in 2009 and 2011 as part of Pep Guardiola’s team, which dominated that era of the sport.

Pedro also won five La Liga titles with the Catalan giants, was a Premier League winner at Chelsea, before heading to AS Roma and finally Lazio.

“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.”

Born in Tenerife, Pedro joined Barcelona’s youth academy as a teenager and made his first-team debut in 2008.

Under Guardiola, he became a key figure in the side that won an unprecedented six trophies in 2009.

Pedro netted in the 2011 Champions League final win over Manchester United and scored 99 goals for Barcelona in 321 games, playing with Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez among other stars.

“Being part of the best Barca side in history was a privilege; we won everything and amazed the world,” said Pedro in his farewell video.

As well as lifting Spain’s first World Cup trophy, Pedro also won the 2012 European Championship with La Roja.

“One day, almost without believing it, I became a world champion and a starter in a World Cup final,” said Pedro, who earned 65 caps and scored 17 goals for his country.

Arriving in 2015 at Chelsea, he won the Premier League in 2017, as well as the FA Cup and Europa League in the subsequent two seasons.

Pedro’s final club was Lazio, which he left at the end of last season after more than 200 appearances for the Serie A side.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2026