Speaking at a promotional event in Las Rozas, Barcelona and Spain midfielder Pedri has vowed to cut his hair off if the national team go on to win the FIFA World Cup.
The 19-year-old will play his first-ever World Cup later this month, having been named in the Spanish squad by manager Luis Enrique. Pedri is one among seven Barcelona stars to be picked in the La Roja squad for the tournament in Qatar.
Leading up to the tournament, Pedri has now made a promise to shave his head if Spain triumph in the World Cup.
“If we win, I will let the hairdresser shave me or do something to me,” Pedri said, as quoted by AS
There are a lot of young stars with relatively less experience at the biggest stage in the Spain squad. But, Pedri believes that it could prove to be advantageous for the team rather than a hindrance
The team we have is young, we really want to do well, to win, and that is reflected on the pitch. Instead of going against us, it is an aspect that I think will go in our favour.” .
Pedri has already been a part of Spain’s UEFA Euro 2020 squad last year and participated in the Olympic Games in Tokyo as well. So, the Barcelona ace claimed that he is not intimidated by the big occasion looming.
“It doesn’t intimidate me much. It’s a dream for me, being here is really crazy. I face it with great enthusiasm, like the European Championships or the Olympic Games,” he stated.
Complaining about the fixture pile-up and the toll that it takes on players, Pedri added: “There are many competitions and it shows in the legs. But we have a lot of people who care about our health so that we can put on the show that people deserve.”
Heading into the World Cup, there has been a lot of criticism to host the event in Qatar due to human rights concerns in the country. While many footballers have been outspoken on the matter, Pedri insisted that he wants to remain focused on the game.
“The best thing is to focus on football,” he said.
There was some praise for national team manager Enrique as well, as the Barcelona prodigy said: “I am sure that he is the best coach for Spain. He is the one who makes us believe things and who makes us all play better together.”
Pedri was one of Spain’s best players at the Euros last year. And fans will be hoping to see more of the same from the 19-year-old at the World Cup as La Roja look to win the trophy again after the success in 2010.