Pedri surpasses Ronaldo for major tournament appearance record

Spain midfielder Pedri has surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo to set a new record for the most major tournament appearances by any European player aged 21 or under.

At the age of 21 years and 218 days, Pedri made his 13th European Championship or World Cup appearance during Spain’s last-16 match against Georgia at Euro 2024 on Sunday.

It is also the fourth game the Barcelona midfielder has started in the Euros knockout stages while aged 21 or under, the most of any such player.

That ensured he beat Ronaldo’s tally of 12 tournament outings for Portugal before turning 22, which came at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup.

Pedri made his senior international debut as an 18-year-old in March 2021, going on to enjoy a breakout tournament at the delayed Euro 2020 as Spain reached the semi-finals before suffering penalty shoot-out heartache against eventual champions Italy.

He won UEFA’s Young Player of the Tournament award for that competition, having completed more passes in the opposition half (317) than any other player.

Only Jordi Alba, Marco Verratti (both 12) and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (11) bettered his tally of 10 open-play chances created, meanwhile.

After playing all six of Spain’s games at Euro 2020, he was also an ever present at the 2022 World Cup, ranking 12th among all players for open-play passes (426) despite La Roja exiting at the last-16 stage having only played four matches.

In the first two matchdays at this tournament, Pedri led all Roja players for chances created (six), assisting Fabian Ruiz’s goal in their 3-0 win over Croatia.

He has some way to go to match Ronaldo’s overall achievements at that tender age, though.

Ronaldo registered two goals and two assists as Portugal finished as Euro 2004 runners-up to Greece on home soil, then helped them to a fourth-place finish at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol managed 11 major tournament appearances for Croatia (four at Euro 2020, seven at the 2022 World Cup) before he turned 22 earlier this year, putting him one behind Ronaldo but unable to draw level.

Pedri’s new record could yet come under threat from England talisman Jude Bellingham, however.

Bellingham drew level with Pedri on 12 earlier on Sunday when England faced Slovakia in the round of 16, having already made 11 Euros/World Cup appearances to better the tallies recorded by Spain’s Cesc Fabregas, Belgium’s Enzo Scifo and Germany’s Bastian Schweinsteiger before turning 22.

With Bellingham not turning 22 until next June, he could yet seize the record if Spain suffer a swift exit and England go all the way at this year’s competition.

By scoring the winner in the Three Lions’ opening Group C fixture against Serbia, Bellingham became the first European player to appear at three different tournaments before turning 21, featuring at Euro 2020, the Qatar World Cup and Euro 2024.

He is also just the second player to score at both the Euros and the World Cup while under 21, after fellow Englishman Michael Owen, who netted at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.