Rodri (footballer, born 1934)

Francisco Rodríguez García (8 March 1934 – 17 May 2022), nicknamed Rodri, was a Spanish footballer who played as a defender.

Rodri
Personal information
Full name Francisco Rodríguez García
Date of birth (1934-03-08)8 March 1934
Place of birth Barcelona, Spain
Date of death 17 May 2022(2022-05-17) (aged 88)
Place of death Spain
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
1951–1954 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1954–1956 España Industrial 37 (0)
1956–1958 Condal 62 (0)
1958–1966 Barcelona 82 (0)
1964Gimnàstic (loan)
Total 181 (0)
International career
1959 Spain B 1 (0)
1962 Spain 4 (0)
Managerial career
1966–1969 Barcelona (youth)
1969–1970 Condal
1970–1976 Barcelona (assistant)
1983 Catalonia (youth)
1986–1989 Catalonia (youth)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

edit

Rodri was born in Barcelona, Catalonia. After having already played his youth football at the club, Rodri signed for FC Barcelona in 1958 from neighbours CD Condal.[1] He totalled 48 games over his first two seasons, which ended in La Liga conquest, but appeared in only nine matches in his last four.

Rodri made his debut in the top division with Condal, in a 6–0 away loss against Real Madrid on 9 September 1956,[2] with the season ending in relegation.[3] He left Barcelona in 1966 at the age of 32, retiring shortly after. He acted as assistant manager at his main team for six years, mostly under Rinus Michels.[1]

International career

edit

Rodri earned four caps for Spain in 1962, and was included in the squad for that year's FIFA World Cup. In the tournament in Chile he appeared in a 1–0 win over Mexico[4] and a 2–1 defeat to Brazil, in an eventual group-stage exit.[5]

Death

edit

Rodri died on 17 May 2022, aged 88.[1]

Honours

edit

Barcelona

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Legendary defender from the 1960s 'Rodri' passes away". FC Barcelona. 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  2. ^ Narbona, Juan (10 September 1956). "R. Madrid, 6 – Condal, 0". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  3. ^ Tejedor Carnicero, José Vicente. "Spain, Final Tables 1949–1959". RSSSF. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  4. ^ Mercé Valera, Andreu (4 June 1962). "España, 1 – Méjico, 0" [Spain, 1 – Mexico, 0]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  5. ^ Mercé Valera, Andreu (7 June 1962). "Brasil, 2 – España, 1" [Brazil, 2 – Spain, 1]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 May 2022.
edit