Pedro, who recently retired, granted an in-depth interview to Mundo Deportivo. In the first part of the interview, Pedro discussed his decision to retire, his family's reaction to it, and his future career plans. He stated that he always wanted to end his career in Europe's top leagues and has not yet decided on a specific path after retirement, but does not rule out becoming an agent or a coach.

Reporter: We are now with Pedro Rodríguez. After a 20-year career with 25 titles, he has officially said goodbye to football. He arrived as the young prospect "Pedrito" and transformed into the renowned "Pedro" at Barcelona. Now, having achieved great success, he is respectfully known as "Mr. Pedro". Thank you very much for accepting this interview with Mundo Deportivo, Pedro. How are you feeling now? What are your emotions after announcing your retirement?

Pedro: Honestly, my heart is still full of mixed emotions. I've experienced so many emotional highs and lows along the way, and sometimes it's really difficult to control or calm these emotions because everything has been so exciting and wonderful. Seeing the people who have been with me almost my entire life, from childhood through football, has been truly beautiful and touching for me. As I said, I'm still a bit emotional, and the adrenaline is still pumping, but in certain moments, I also feel a touch of nostalgia and sadness. Because, at the end of the day, you have to face this moment—the moment of completely letting go of your profession and leaving your entire career behind. However, I'm also filled with anticipation and enthusiasm for the future, because I know new things will certainly arise, and that really motivates me.

Reporter: How long did it take you to make this decision? How did you go through that careful consideration process and finally decide that "it's time to end it"?

Pedro: Yes, I think throughout my career, especially in recent years, this thought crossed my mind countless times. Last year, I constantly asked myself whether I still had enough mental strength to continue, whether I could play for another year. I think it was in the final months, when the season was essentially over and I had more time to spend with family and friends, to enjoy life, and my nerves relaxed while the highly intense and competitive pace of the pitch gradually slowed down, that I truly realized: the time for retirement had come.

My journey has ended here; my career on the pitch is complete at this point. As I just said, both in life and in career, there will always come a moment when you genuinely feel that the time to make a decision has arrived. This is by no means easy; it's actually very difficult, because what you're giving up is, after all, the career and passion you've loved most in your entire life. Of course, I'm very clear that I will remain intimately connected to the wonderful world of football in the future, but as I said, it will be in a completely different way. I'll look at it from another perspective, from behind the scenes as a spectator and fan, and at the same time, I'm filled with anticipation for the new projects that may follow.

Reporter: Many of your teammates and friends chose to continue playing in lower leagues after leaving the main stage, but you insisted on ending your career at the highest level in an elite league like Serie A. During that time, did you never have even a small thought about playing for another year or two in a supposedly easier-paced league?

Pedro: Honestly, no, I didn't. Because when you think about things comprehensively, the answer becomes very clear. My long-held desire has always been to complete my entire professional football career in European football, playing for top clubs. And this is also something I've said since childhood: the moment I feel I can no longer compete at this higher level, I will shake everyone's hands and walk away with dignity. Because I believe that aligns with my principles as a person and my honest attitude toward my work.

As I said, the last few years were very difficult for me, both competitively and physically. After all, that's the natural order of things. You're facing twenty-something-year-olds in peak physical condition, while you're clearly in another phase of your career and life. Perhaps you can still come off the bench for half an hour and change the game in a specific moment, but clearly it's no longer possible to play 40 high-intensity, high-level matches of ninety minutes each throughout a season. So, as a highly competitive person who is absolutely honest with myself, I finally decided that this was the best time for me to step away, and also the best time to retire with dignity in good condition—to say goodbye without major concerns about injuries. Sometimes, inevitably, some players regret it, such as being forced to retire due to a serious knee injury or not being able to finish the way they wanted. In that sense, I feel very fortunate to be able to leave with dignity at the moment I chose, in the best way possible—always remaining at the highest level, always in Europe, and fortunately, without suffering any serious injuries.

Reporter: Was this purely your personal decision, or a choice made after consulting with your family?

Pedro: Ultimately, you inevitably have to consider your family around you. To be frank, my family members have always encouraged me to keep playing, and all my friends also hoped I could play for another year. For them, who have followed you for so many years, watching your matches is always a source of excitement and joy, and seeing you do what you love most, they really wished you would continue. Furthermore, I had no serious injuries, and my overall physical condition seemed capable of handling the matches, so they had such thoughts. But as I said, the final decision-maker, bearing the greatest weight, had to be me.

My children, my partner, my parents, and my friends all, deep down, wanted me to keep playing. But I told them the same thing: life always comes to a crossroads. As I just emphasized, you know very well that for both you and your long-term stability in the future, the best choice is to retire. The time has come, and you just have to accept it and face it calmly. Although it's truly difficult sometimes, for now, I believe this decision is very right for me, and I made the correct choice.

Reporter: Excellent. Do you have a specific plan now, or do you intend to take a vacation first, rest well, and then think about it? Do you have any direction in mind for what comes next?

Pedro: For now, I just want to take a vacation, as you said, rest well, catch my breath, calmly review everything that has happened, and look back on my entire career journey. After that, of course, I'm naturally a restless person; I like to throw myself into new projects, see what opportunities arise in the future, and I've actually already started working on some things. As for which specific field I'll ultimately pursue, I can't say now. I'll carefully evaluate all the options.

I also very much hope to enrich and improve myself. As I said to my colleagues here today, to the club president and senior executives, I hope to learn about other areas of knowledge and get involved with things beyond simply competing on the pitch as a player. For example, transitioning into an agent role or becoming a coach—although this is still closely related to football, I hope to explore different directions and levels to see what resonates with my inner feelings. This is also about continuous education. I've been fortunate to live and play in different countries, which has greatly contributed to my personal growth and allowed me to master several languages, and I believe this will be very beneficial for me to establish myself in society in the future. Now, let's wait and see which doors open for me and what projects I'll pursue next.

Traduzido por IA.

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