Rodri Hernandez reveals how he met girlfriend Laura Iglesias at university

Rodri Hernandez has opened up about the moment he first met his girlfriend Laura Iglesias-while both were students at Universitat Jaume I in Castellon, eastern Spain.

Rodri Hernandez and Laura Iglesias met as students in 2014

The Manchester City and Spain captain recalled their first meeting in the university residence, where Iglesias was starting her medical studies. At the time, Rodri was playing for Villarreal’s U21 side and beginning to step into professional football.

“For me, it was the best time of my life,” Rodri said in 2022. “Spending time with young people the same as you. Studying and going out sometimes. It was good… a great time.”

He added: “It was funny because I met her in the student residence and she was starting also on medicine.”

How their relationship began

Rodri and Iglesias were both freshmen when they crossed paths. She was two years younger, focused on her medical degree, while he was balancing early career demands with student life.

“She has helped me a lot,” Rodri said. “A girl who studied so hard, who was doing Medicine… that helped me take away some of the pressure of what I was facing every weekend-playing in the First Division, beginning to become important, starting to play for Spain.”

He described her initial reaction to his football rise as shy. “She was like ‘what is this guy doing here?’ And I met her when I was in the U21 side of Villarreal and it was kind of like this when I start moving forward in professional football, she was a bit shy in this sense because she didn’t want the people to speak.”

Rodri Hernandez credits Laura Iglesias for his 2024 Ballon d’Or win

When Rodri won the Ballon d’Or in 2024, he dedicated the award to Iglesias. He marked eight years since their first meeting on November 23.

“First of all, I would like to thank the most important person in the world for me-my girlfriend Laura,” he said. “Today marks eight years since we met-it’s our anniversary. Without you, this journey would not have been the same, so thank you very much.”

Where Laura Iglesias is now

Details about Iglesias’s career after graduation remain scarce. Some reports suggest she is training to become a surgeon, though she rarely attends Rodri’s matches in person.

“When I get to score, I always have a video of Laura celebrating the goal at home and I always watch it in a locker room,” Rodri said in a Manchester City video.

Her low public profile contrasts with Rodri’s global spotlight, yet her influence on his career and personal growth remains a constant theme in his reflections.