Messi’s ex-Barcelona team-mate Pedro retires aged 39 after glittering career with 25 trophies

Pedro Rodriguez (photo: FC Barcelona) A day after Lionel Messi bid an emotional farewell to international football, his former Barcelona team-mate Pedro Rodriguez also called time on his illustrious career, with the Spanish great retiring at the age of 39 after winning 25 major trophies.Pedro, who played alongside Messi during Barcelona’s golden era, announced his retirement on Wednesday, bringing the curtain down on a 20-year career that saw him lift the FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championship and Champions League.The Tenerife forward has been a free agent since leaving Lazio when his contract expired in July. He said he felt the time was right to start a new chapter after a career that took him from Barcelona’s academy to the pinnacle of European and international football.“I feel it’s time. It’s time to step forward and start a new chapter in my life,” Pedro said in a statement on social media.“I’m leaving proud to have lived my dream and to all the people who stood by my side to make it a reality. Thank you, football, for making me so happy.”

World Cup, Euro and Champions League glory

Pedro broke into the Barcelona first team in 2008 and became a key member of Pep Guardiola’s excellent squad. He won 20 major trophies with the Catalan giants before moving to Chelsea in 2015.One of the defining moments of his Barcelona career came in the 2011 Champions League final at Wembley, when Pedro opened the scoring in a 3-1 win over Manchester United.He was also part of the Barcelona team that completed an extraordinary six-month run in 2009. During the 2009–10 season, Pedro became the first player to score in all six official competitions in which the club competed in a single campaign – La Liga, Copa del Rey, Champions League, Spanish Super Cup, European Super Cup and Club World Cup.At Chelsea, Pedro added a Premier League title to his collection in the 2016-17 season.His international career was equally distinguished.Pedro was a key member of the Spain team that won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and started the final as Spain beat the Netherlands 1-0 after extra time. Two years later, he helped La Roja win Euro 2012.

794 club appearances, 25 major trophies

After leaving Chelsea, Pedro spent a season in Rome before crossing the Italian capital to join Lazio. He spent the last five years of his career at the club before becoming a free agent in July.During his club career, Pedro played 794 matches and scored 197 goals. He also represented Spain 65 times, scoring 17 goals.His trophy cabinet includes 25 major honours, headlined by a World Cup, European Championship and three Champions League titles.Pedro’s retirement comes just a day after Messi, his former Barcelona team-mate and one of the central figures of his greatest years at Camp Nou, played his last game for Argentina.Together they were part of the Barcelona team that dominated European football and collected trophies under Guardiola and his successors.Now that Messi has closed one chapter of his international career and Pedro has ended his own 20-year journey in the game, another member of Barcelona’s golden generation has taken his final bow.