MADRID, SPAIN - OCTOBER 26: Pedri of FC Barcelona runs with the ball during the LaLiga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on October 26, 2024 in Madrid, Spain.

21-year-old Barcelona star admits recent La Liga award has made him ‘feel a bit younger’

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

When it comes to promising young players, there is perhaps no better club than FC Barcelona in terms of development and opportunities. The Catalan club, despite being one of the world’s best prestigious sides, has always relied on its youngsters. Even now with Hansi Flick in charge, Barcelona continue to stick to their roots.

Since the past few years, especially with the club’s financial issues, La Blaugrana have been dependent on their youngsters to bail them out of difficult situations. In fact, some young players have become such regulars with the Barcelona first team that most people now look at them as veterans despite their age.

One clear example of this is Pedri, a 21-year-old Spanish midfielder who has already been made one of the captains of FC Barcelona. The player’s maturity on the field and in his statements is clear to see alongside the vast experience he has accumulated since making his debut for Barcelona in 2020, but it often makes people forget just how young he still is.

After receiving the Best Under-23 Player of the Month award from La Liga for the month of October, the player spoke about how he felt afterwards. As highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, Pedri’s response was full of class and once again depicted his maturity:

“I’m happy, but mainly because of the team’s strong start, and we need to keep it up. I’ll put it in my display case with everything I’ve achieved so far, and I hope more will come.”

However, the young Barcelona star and former Kopa Trophy winner also made sure to remark how it made him ‘feel a bit younger’ after receiving it:

“This award makes me feel a bit younger because people already see me as a veteran, but I’m still young.”

So far, out of the three months in which the Under-23 Player of the month award was handed out, two of those have gone to FC Barcelona as Lamine Yamal scooped up the honor for the month of August. Moreover, the Player of the month award itself has gone to the Catalan club in all three months as well since Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, and now Robert Lewandowski have all won it in each of the last three months.

Tags La Liga Under-23 Player of the Month Pedri Pedri La Liga award