Pedri Childhood Story (born into a family of Barcelona fans)
Pedri’s childhood story
Pedro Gonzalez Lopez, better known as “Pedri”, was born on November 25, 2002, in the city of Tegueste, located on the Island of Tenerife, Spain. He is the son of Spanish parents and one of two brothers in the family. Pedri bears a great resemblance to his mother, while his father has a more robust figure.
Pedri spent his childhood in Tegueste with his brother, with whom he had a very close relationship. From an early age, his parents encouraged his love for FC Barcelona, granting their children requests for team shirts. Thus, Pedri and his brother grew up as great admirers of the Catalan club.
Pedri grew up in a home that was passionate about FC Barcelona. His grandfather even founded a Barça supporters club in Tegueste. Despite coming from a middle-class background, the connection to football was present even in the details of their daily lives, such as the plates with the Barcelona logo used in the house.
Pedri Gonzalez’s first steps in football
Since he was little, Pedri had shown a great interest in football, inspired by players like Andrés Iniesta, whom he deeply admired. He started playing on the streets of Tegueste and soon stood out among his colleagues. At the age of nine, he joined Tegueste’s local academy after a successful trial.
The story of Pedri in Las Palmas
Despite his great talent, Pedri struggled to gain entry to larger academies. However, his determination paid off at the age of 13 when he joined Juventud Laguna. He later moved on to UD Las Palmas, where he continued to demonstrate his growth as a footballer.
In 2018, Pedri joined the Las Palmas youth team from Juventud Laguna. On July 15, 2019, at just 16 years old, he signed a four-year professional contract and was promoted to the first team by coach Pepe Mel.
He made his professional debut on August 18, 2019, at the age of 16, in a 1-0 home defeat to Huesca in the Segunda División. Shortly after, on 19 September, he scored his first professional goal, securing a 1–0 win over Sporting Gijón. At 16 years, 9 months and 23 days, Pedri became the youngest goalscorer in Las Palmas’ history.
The story of Pedri in Barcelona
On 2 September 2019, Barcelona announced an agreement with Las Palmas for the transfer of Pedri, which would be effective on 1 July 2020. The initial contract was for two years, with the Catalan club paying €5 million, an amount that could increase depending on contractual clauses. Already integrated into the main squad for the 2020–21 season and wearing the number 16 shirt, Pedri made his debut on 27 September, replacing Philippe Coutinho in a 4–0 win over Villarreal in La Liga. On 17 October, he started for the first time, playing in the 1–0 defeat against Getafe. His first goal for the club came on 20 October in the Champions League, in a 5–1 win against Ferencváros, after coming on as a second-half substitute.
Contract renewal
Pedri continued to shine, scoring his first La Liga goal on 7 November in a 5–2 win against Real Betis. On 6 January 2021, he scored a header against Athletic Bilbao and contributed an assist to secure a 3–2 victory. On 17 April, he won his first professional title, helping Barcelona beat Athletic 4–0 in the Copa del Rey final.
On 8 May 2021, aged 18 years and 164 days, Pedri made his 50th appearance for Barcelona, becoming the second-youngest player to reach the milestone, behind only Bojan Krkić. In October 2021, he renewed his contract with the club, which included a record €1 billion release clause.
Pedri received widespread recognition in 2021, winning Tuttosport’s Golden Boy award, which celebrates the best European under-21 player, and France Football’s Kopa Trophy, for being the most outstanding young player in world football.
On 13 February 2022, he scored the fastest Derbi Barceloní goal of the 21st century, just 75 seconds into the match, in a 2–2 draw against Espanyol.
However, he faced challenges: on 14 April 2022, he injured his hamstring during a Europa League quarter-final match against Frankfurt, ruling him out for the rest of the season.
On 28 January 2023, Pedri reached the milestone of 100 appearances for Barcelona, coming on in the 1–0 win against Girona and scoring the only goal of the match.
The story of Pedri’s family
Origin of the Pedri family
Although Spanish, Pedri comes from the Canary Islands, his hometown of Tegueste is a strategic location for football scouts, with a history of young talents such as Pedro Rodriguez. There are indications that his parents may have African roots, possibly in Mauritania, Morocco or Algeria.
Pedri’s parents
Pedri’s father
Pedri’s father is responsible for his consistent determination to excel amid life’s challenges, thanks to his father, the young man became interested in Barcelona from an early age.
Pedri’s mother
Interestingly, Pedri’s mother is also a football lover and supports Barcelona like the rest of the family, her deep interest in football enlightened her on how best to support Pedri in his footballing career. In times of struggle, the look-alike mother would often step in to advise her son.
Pedri’s siblings
Pedri only has one brother, but the fact that he doesn’t have sisters doesn’t mean he has to wash the dishes, in fact his brother plays the role of sister, taking care of most of the cooking in the house.
Pedri’s grandparents
Pedri’s girlfriend
Pedri is single and has no girlfriend, the young star is focusing all his efforts on his professional career.
Pedri’s children
The Spanish player does not yet have children
References
“Origins: Pedro González “Pedri” – Barca Academy”. Barca Academy
“Pedri’s Emotional Return to the Stadium Where It All Began”. beIN SPORTS
“Pedri Gonzalez | Biography, Competitions, Wins and Medals”. Olympics.com
“13 fun facts about Pedri”. Goal.com
“Five things you may not know about Pedri”. LALIGA official website
“Origins: Pedro González “Pedri”. Official FC Barcelona Website
“Five things you might not know about Pedri”. Super Sport
“Barber visits, hobbies, family… This is the life of Pedri!”. YouTube , FC Barcelona
“The history behind the signing of Pedri by the Barcelona”. FC Barcelona Noticias
“Pedri Facts for Kids”. Kids encyclopedia facts
“Pedri – Player profile 24/25”. Transfermarkt
