Rodrigo (Pacifica)

Rodrigo
Rodrigo in a game for Ibiza in 2016.
Born	June 24, 1979 Lasagro, Cadiz
Occupation	Retired footballer

Rodrigo Hernandez Cascaté, commonly known as Rodrigo, or sometimes simply Rodri, is a Cadisian retired footballer who played as a striker. Known for his versatile playing style, including his heading ability, his penalty skills, and crossing perfection. Rodrigo has been regarded by pundits as being one of the best forwards of his generation, and the best striker of all time. He is the all-time leader of appearances (with 579) and goals (with 501) of La Liga, the top tier Cadisian football league. He additionally is the all-time leader of both appearances and goals for the Cadíz national football team.

Nicknamed "El Valiente" ("the brave"), Rodrigo was known for his brave playing ethic. He had sustained mass injuries while playing football, whether professional or recreational, however, after being treated for an injury, he opted to always stay on the lineup. Rodrigo played for a total of five teams, spanning out through a twenty-one year senior career from 1997-2018. He additionally played for the Cadiz on the national level from 2001-2018.

Rodrigo started out his career playing for his hometown team, Lasagro CF, as a bench player. He started playing with Lasagro in 1995, at age 16 on a youth contract. During his first senior season, in 1998, Rodrigo was seriously injured in a game against Ayamonte. Despite his injury, Rodrigo managed to move to Sotelo, a División Profesional team where he played for two seasons. In 2000, he was released by Sotelo and signed by Sporting Málaga, who had most recently won the Copa del Anillo. Málaga manager, Ayoze Fernandez, saw talent in Rodrigo and placed him on the starting lineup as a striker. After scoring 17 goals in the 2001-2002 season, Rodrigo was named La Liga's Young Player of the Year. In 2006, after six successful seasons at Sporting Málaga, he managed to transfer to Real Valencia where he was named a starter. Rodrigo scored a whopping 33 goals in the 2006-2007 season with Real Valencia and was named the season's Best Player. In 2010, Rodrigo moved to Atlético Valencia and broke his goalscoring record by creating the La Liga record, a total of 35 goals scored in a single season. In 2015, Rodrigo signed with Island Premier League club, Kailua FC, where he spent one season. He was signed as a free agent in 2016 by the best Segunda División team, Ibiza. In 2017, Rodrigo announced his return to Lasagro CF where he played until 2018.

Rodrigo made his international debut for Cadiz in 2001. He previously played for the nation's U20 and U18 teams, although only appeared in one game for the both of the respective squads. Rodrigo got a spot as a starter on the national team in 2003 and received the captain's band in 2008. He was the captain of the team all the way until 2016. Despite Rodrigo being one the best Pacifican footballers ever, he has never won an IUFA World Cup.

Childhood and early career

Rodrigo was born in the small working-class town of Lasagro. The town is a "gateway" to the peninsula of Ibiza. Lasagro does not border any body of water. Rodrigo's parents, Enrique Hernandez and Aitana Cascaté, owned a local bar which had to close when Rodrigo was ten due to zoning reasons. Rodrigo had two sisters, both of them were older than him. His oldest sister, Lilliana Hernandez, was a talented footballer and signed a contract when she was 19 to play with Eibar Femení. Inspired by his sister, Rodrigo began practicing football with his uncle. His father, Enrique, did not play football nor did he have any interest in it.

At age 10, Rodrigo managed to find himself a spot on a lineup in a pickup game with 20 year-olds from Lasagro. Out of surprise, multiple La Liga scouts were present. Rodrigo scored a hatrick and had one assist playing against players double the age of himself. The scouts were very impressed, due to his short height but his ability to play and navigate the field. A scout for Oviedo came over and talked to Rodrigo and his uncle, Raul. The scout was extremely impressed that Rodrigo was only ten, and offered him a spot in the Oviedo youth program. His uncle though immediately declined the offer.

After the game, Rodrigo continued to train and took a spot in the Lasagro youth program. However, weeks after getting into the academy, his parents had to shut down their bar and had to take him out of the program. Rodrigo's uncle decided to use some of his life savings to pay for Rodrigo to get back in to the academy.

At age 16, Rodrigo officially signed with his local club, Lagraso CF, playing under manager Jorge Lopez. However, Rodrigo and Lopez had a rocky relationship and Rodrigo only had one appearance in his first season. Rodrigo officially started his senior career at age 18. Despite this, Rodrigo hadn't made a start for Lagraso CF under Lopez and had only played in four games. In a Segunda División match against Ayamonte in 1998, Rodrigo was put in as a substitute at the sixty-first minute. Only ten minutes later, he sustained a serious injury and after the game, manager Jorge Lopez in a press conference called him "useless to the team because of his height and playing style." Lopez commented that Rodrigo would "never have an adequate football career."

Rodrigo was close to giving up football after Lopez's comments in the press conference. However, his parents (who had now converted into big football fans) and his uncle encouraged him to keep going.

Club career

Lagraso CF (1995-1998)

After turning 18, Rodrigo signed an extension contract with his hometown club of Lagraso under the senior player category. However, Rodrigo had a negative relationship with Lagraso manager Jorge Lopez and after an injury, Rodrigo demanded a release from the team. His release was awarded on February 3, 1998.

Sotelo (1998-2000)

Rodrigo managed to sign a contract as a free agent with Sotelo. After signing with Sotelo, Rodrigo was placed in the team's rehabilitation facility. He quickly recovered after five days in the facility and was set to play for Lionel Martini, Sotelo's manager. Martini then put Rodrigo on the first team as a substitute. Playing off of the bench, Rodrigo scored six goals in the 1998-1999 season. Martini was happy with Rodrigo's performance and put him as a starter in the first game of the season in 1999. Rodrigo had an assist and Sotelo prevailed 3-0 against Eibar. Rodrigo played both on the starting lineup and on the bench that season. He scored four goals, and recorded eight assists. Instead of playing his usual striker position, he played attacking midfield when starting.

Rodrigo was transferred to Sporting Málaga in 2000 after Sotelo exceeded the spending cap due to the team signing Huelva goalie Eroño.

Sporting Málaga (2000-2006)

Lionel Martini, the manager of Sotelo, had joined the coaching staff of Sporting Málaga, the first-placed club of the Segunda División who were promoted to La Liga. Rodrigo was excited that his former manager joined his new club and that he would be able to play in the first division of Cadiz. His new manager, Ayoze Fernandez, placed Rodrigo on the starting lineup for the 2000-2001 season. Rodrigo was injured in a match against Leganes and wasn't able to play until the next season.

Fernandez placed Rodrigo on the starting lineup in the 2001-2002 season and he ended up scoring 17 goals in that season, leading Málaga to placing fifth in the La Liga table. Rodrigo was named La Liga's Young Player of the Year and was called up to represent Cadiz on the national level.

Following Rodrigo’s success for Málaga, manager Fernandez designated him as the team’s penalty taker. Rodrigo scored 18 goals in the 2002 season (La Liga had then changed how they classified what years marked what season). Sporting Málaga though lost to Real Valencia in the Copa del Rey semifinals.

In the 2003 season, Rodrigo scored 14 goals and recorded six assists. However, Rodrigo was sidelined after sustaining a leg injury.

Rodrigo saw one of his most successful seasons in 2004. He scored 23 goals with nine assists and made six international appearances for Cadiz, where he scored a total of ten goals in all six.

After a match against Real Valencia in April, Rodrigo received his first red card after garnering two separate yellow cards. Rodrigo was suspended for the next game. He apologized for his actions although criticized La Liga’s referee training program on a recorded audio tape shortly thereafter being suspended. Rodrigo was fined a $200 fee from Sporting Málaga. Rodrigo then appeared on a sports radio talk show with famous broadcaster and host, Enzo Ramos. Rodrigo additionally criticized the Málaga fine he received and was suspended an extra day (by the team) and was benched in his first game back against league rival, Vigo.

Post-retirement

After Rodrigo retired from professional football in 2018, he started the Dream Foundation. The foundation aims to fulfill the dreams of those in poverty, hunger, and violence. The foundation is based in Valencia and has run missions worldwide.

In 2020, Real Valencia offered Rodrigo a position as their manager. However, he declined. He additionally declined Ibiza's request for him to be the President of Football Operations for the club.

Personal life

Rodrigo is married to Jennifer Putellas, a fellow footballer. Putellas plays for Real Valencia as a midfielder and striker and for the Cadíz women's national team. Rodrigo and Putellas live in the Valencia metropolitan area.

Rodrigo's sister, Lilliana Hernandez, as the manager of Real Valencia Femení in 2013.

Rodrigo's sister, Lilliana Hernandez, played for Eibar Femení for six years from 1988 to 1994. She transferred to Huelva where she played for four years until sustaining a massive femur injury. Hernandez retired in 1998 after her injury however she went on to manage Real Valencia Femenino for 12 years from 2007 to 2019. She led Valencia to eight Copa del Anillo's for Cadiz. Hernandez was the coach of the Cadiz women's team for a year, however she resigned to help run the Dream Foundation, started by her brother.

His other sister, Jennifer Hernandez, is a famed real estate agent in Ibiza.