You won a World Cup with Spain, celebrated in spectacular fashion in Madrid, in Cibeles Square, in front of almost two million people, and now, quite rightly, you want to enjoy your holiday before another season of 50-plus games begins. But why not use the opportunity to build an even stronger connection with one of the world’s most important football markets after the triumph in New York? That must have been the thought behind Pedri’s decision. The Barcelona midfielder and Spain international chose China for his first holiday as a world champion. Together with his girlfriend Alejandra Dorta and her family, the 23-year-old from the Canary Islands set off on a trip that started as a break after a long season and quickly took on a life of its own.
The itinerary included some of the country’s most recognisable landmarks, from the Great Wall of China to Beijing, with visits to the Temple of Heaven and the city of Suzhou. But Pedri’s holiday did not remain private for long. Wherever he went, he was welcomed like a star: his face appeared on advertising screens in the centre of the capital, he attended events in traditional Chinese clothing, gave interviews and found himself surrounded by supporters and local media. According to Mundo Deportivo, the defining moment came in Suzhou, where Pedri was the guest of honour at the so-called “Tai Lake derby”, the match between Suzhou and Wuxi played in front of almost 32,000 spectators. The midfielder took the ceremonial kick-off, walking onto the pitch wearing a shirt that combined the colours of both teams. Local media reported that he also greeted the crowd in the city’s dialect: “Hello, Suzhou! Come on, Suzhou!” before a match eventually won 1-0 by the visitors.
The game was part of the Su Chao, the Super League of Jiangsu province in eastern China. What began as a simple amateur tournament has gradually become a genuine cultural phenomenon, drawing bigger crowds and generating significant economic activity across the region. The attention around Pedri stretched well beyond the stadium. Content linked to his trip passed nine million views on Chinese social media in just over twenty-four hours. The images shared on his Weibo profile, the country’s most popular platform, attracted similar attention. Pedri appeared wearing a traditional tunic while trying cuju, an ancient ball game dating back more than 2,300 years and regarded in China as one of the early forms of football. The photographs with his girlfriend, both dressed in traditional clothing, only added to the fascination surrounding his visit.
What began as a holiday after a World Cup-winning season became another moment in Pedri’s rise beyond the usual boundaries of the game. In China, he was welcomed not only as a footballer, but as a familiar face from a sport that now travels everywhere with its stars. He remains one of the finest midfielders of his generation; Spain’s World Cup victory simply gave more people the chance to see him.