Pedro Honoured by Barcelona After Retirement Before the Getafe Match
Barcelona honoured Pedro Rodríguez after his retirement announcement, giving him the ceremonial kick-off before a 3-0 win over Getafe in LaLiga matchday eight.
Pedro Rodríguez, 39, announced his retirement from professional football on Wednesday 7 October 2026. Three days later he returned to Spotify Camp Nou for a tribute before Barcelona’s LaLiga match against Getafe. The club gave him the ceremonial kick-off, the stadium greeted him with a warm ovation, and Barça went on to win 3-0.
Key points
- Pedro announced his retirement on 7 October 2026 in a video recorded at Camp Nou, according to Spanish news agencies.
- Barcelona held a farewell event at the Auditori 1899 on Friday 9 October.
- He took the ceremonial kick-off before the Getafe match on Saturday 10 October.
- Barcelona won 3-0 for their eighth win in eight league games.
- Pedro scored 99 goals in 321 appearances for the club.
How did Pedro announce his retirement?
Pedro posted a video message recorded at Camp Nou, the stadium where his Barcelona journey began, saying it was the right moment to close this chapter and start a new stage of life. At the farewell event he said “the time has come to rest” and that he had lost some of the motivation and competitive spark of his playing days, as reported on the club’s official website.
He said he wants to spend more time with his family. His future could include coaching, working as an agent or playing in legends matches, but he did not commit to anything. He thanked club president Joan Laporta for letting him say goodbye at Barcelona.
The farewell event at the Auditori 1899
The club held the event on Friday 9 October, two days after the announcement. According to Barcelona’s website, family, friends and former teammates attended, including Carles Puyol, Sergio Busquets, Xavi and Thiago. Spanish media also named Deco, Bojan and Martín Montoya among the guests.
Laporta said Pedro has “the eternal gratitude of the club and its fans”, as quoted by the club.
The ceremonial kick-off before Getafe
Before kick-off on Saturday 10 October, Pedro took the honorary kick-off and received a warm ovation from the crowd, Barcelona’s website reports. Spanish outlets including RTVC added that he wore a number 17 Barça shirt with “Gràcies” in place of his name, greeted the players one by one and received a hug from head coach Hansi Flick while the stadium chanted his name. Those details come from press reports; the club page we read does not mention them.
In the same pre-match slot, Raphinha collected La Liga’s Player of the Month award for September and João Cancelo received Goal of the Month for his strike against Racing.
Barcelona 3-0 Getafe
Barça won in front of 59,465 fans at Spotify Camp Nou. Anthony Gordon scored after about two minutes through a deflection, his first goal for the club. Gabriel Jesus made it two around the 30th minute in his first start, and Jules Koundé scored in the 73rd minute from a Lamine Yamal cross.
The win gave Barcelona eight victories from eight league games, equalling the club’s record for a winning start to a season set under Tata Martino in 2013/14. Raphinha missed the game with a minor thigh problem.
Pedro’s numbers at Barcelona
Pedro joined the Barça academy in the summer of 2004, aged 17, from San Isidro in Tenerife. He spent eight seasons in the first team until summer 2015 and scored 99 goals in 321 appearances, according to the club.
| Competition | Titles with Barcelona |
|---|---|
| La Liga | 5 |
| Champions League | 3 |
| Copa del Rey | 3 |
| Spanish Super Cup | 4 |
| UEFA Super Cup | 3 |
| Club World Cup | 2 |
Among his best-known goals: the equaliser against Estudiantes in the 2009 Club World Cup final, the opener against Manchester United in the 2011 Champions League final, and his last Barça goal, in extra time against Sevilla on 11 August 2015 in a 5-4 UEFA Super Cup win. In 2009 he scored in six different official competitions in one calendar year.
His career beyond Barcelona
After leaving Barça in 2015, Pedro joined Chelsea and won the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Europa League. He later played for Roma and Lazio. With Spain he won the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.
What is confirmed and what is not
Confirmed: the retirement announcement, the Friday event at the Auditori 1899, the ceremonial kick-off, the 3-0 result, and Pedro’s goals and honours, as published by Barcelona.
Reported by the press: the number 17 shirt with “Gràcies”, the hug from Flick and some of the names at the event.
Not confirmed: Pedro’s next role. Reports say Laporta suggested he could return to the club in another capacity, but there is no official announcement.
Frequently asked questions
When did Pedro announce his retirement?
On Wednesday 7 October 2026, at the age of 39.
How many goals did Pedro score for Barcelona?
99 goals in 321 appearances, according to Barcelona’s website.
Who took the kick-off in Barcelona v Getafe?
Pedro took the ceremonial kick-off as part of his tribute.
What was the score in Barcelona v Getafe?
Barcelona won 3-0, with goals from Gordon, Gabriel Jesus and Koundé.
Related
Sources: FC Barcelona official website (retirement article, Auditori 1899 event and Getafe match report); Infobae, COPE and RTVC (announcement and tribute details).
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