We all know them as cutting-edge athletes and professionals who work 24/7 to improve their remarkable skills, but they are also humans.It’s amazing to read about them and discover the details of their personal lives, giving you a different perspective on their personalities.That’s precisely what stays in our mind after learning about Rodri’s incredible life story, which has seen the Manchester City star rise from his humble beginnings to football stardom while keeping his feet on the ground.In a letter he wrote for The Players’ Tribune, Rodri revealed he’s married to his long-time girlfriend Laura, whom he met during university days. Rodrigo – which is his real name – used to study economics and could have become an accountant if it wasn’t for football. ##NAJAVA_MECA_8321160##But even today, he acts like an ordinary man and is on the phone after every game, which is something his teammates just can’t get used to.”Aguero and Otamendi actually used to make fun of me all the time – not just for my clothes, but because I used to get on the bus after every match and FaceTime my missus. Since I’m a footballer and she is a doctor, we had to get used to being long-distance for many years. What do you do when you’re long-distance? You FaceTime. I’d call her after every game, win or lose. When we won, it was no problem, because the boys would be rowdy and celebrating and they wouldn’t notice. But when we lost, I was still just my normal self. I had no filter. When I speak to my missus, it’s like my brain flips back to being in uni. I become Rodrigo again. So it would be dead silent on the bus, everyone with their heads down, all depressed, and I’d be talking loudly, saying, “Yeah, we were a bit s*** today, to be honest. Yeah, yeah, we drew. Yeah, I’m pissed…Anyway, how was your day?” The first time, Aguero and Otamendi pulled me aside and they said, “Man, you can’t be talking like that on the bus! Pep can hear you! Everyone can hear you!” ##EDITORS_CHOICE##But after every match, I would call her. No filter. “Yeah, it was OK today. We won, but I played kind of s***. Are you watching Netflix? What are you eating?” Hahahah. We were like two teenagers. Everyone was so annoyed. They would be trying to grab the phone from me: “He will call you back! Rodri, hang up the phone! He has to go now! Bye-bye!”They wanted to kill me, but I didn’t care. When I leave the pitch, my goal is to always make sure that my feet are on the floor.”Is there genuine Harambee Stars progress under Engin Firat?It was the university that made Rodri the man he is today. However, while other students were partying on Friday night, the promising player would skip the alcohol part and all the fun…”Well, at night it was funny because obviously it’s university. When it’s Friday night, everyone is going to the club. But first, they’re “pregaming,” as they say in America. They’re in the tiny rooms playing music and drinking some beers, and there’s like 20 people in one room, with people sitting on the bed, on the floor, everywhere. I was just like any other student – they didn’t even know I really played football – so I’d show up with my sparkling water and I’d hang out for a while until it was time to go to the club. Then I’d disappear. Finally, someone was like, “Rodrigo, how come you never come out with us? Come on, man.” And I had to tell them, “Well, I play football. I have training in the morning.” “Laaaaaammmeeeee. Lame, bro.”They killed me for it,” concluded Rodri.
