Football is full of rituals, but few are as heartwarming as the one shared between Pedri and his father, Fernando.
Every time Pedri lifts a trophy, he stays on the pitch to take a penalty against his dad, and then they embrace, a moment that has become one of the most beautiful father-and-son traditions in the world of football.
Fernando once dreamed of becoming a professional goalkeeper. He was on the verge of making his debut in Spain’s third division when tragedy struck: his own father passed away, forcing him to give up his footballing ambitions and take over the family business.
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That dream of guarding the goal, of standing tall in front of the net, never faded. And now, through Pedri, it finds a special form of life.
Every trophy Pedri wins is a chance to honor his father, a way of letting him relive the dream he had to abandon. He did it after Euro 2024, celebrating Spain’s continental triumph.
He repeated the ritual after winning the Supercopa de España in 2025, and most recently, after the Supercopa de España 2026, each time stepping up to take the decisive shot with Fernando in goal, before pulling him in for a heartfelt embrace.
For Pedri, the ritual is about more than football. It is a celebration of family, sacrifice, and shared joy.
Fans have fallen in love with the tradition, not just because of the football, but because of the story behind it: a father’s lost dream, a son’s rising star, and a single penalty that connects the two across generations.
Watch the video below:
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