Rodri, the Manchester City star, is more than just a ball winner.

The 27-year-old Spanish star has earned a degree in business administration and management while managing his successful playing career at the Etihad.

Rodri signed for Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in a record breaking £63 million deal.

He recognized that it took patience and devotion to win the Premier League for his club. Nonetheless, the hard work paid off.

“I’m finished. I only have one more essay to write, a short one, but all of the subjects have been completed, including the big essay at the end,” he told Mancity.

“It was hard labor, but in the end it was enjoyable.

“You’ve got time for everything. Of all, being a footballer is a very difficult profession because it requires you to do more than just play, practice, and compete; you must also rest and care for yourself.

“Imagine you return home at three o’clock and have the entire afternoon free. You can do a variety of things.

“Of course, you cannot follow the rhythm of the other students but with patience, with dedication you can do it.”

The humble midfielder paid £63 million to play for the 2019 Premier League champions.

However, he does not enjoy getting tattooed, thus unlike his colleagues, you will not see him sporting a slew of tattoos or visiting the Manchester area’s tattoo parlors.

Furthermore, Rodri does not use Instagram, so those hoping to follow his activities there will be disappointed.

Spanish international Rodri juggled his career at Man City to finish a business management degree 

University challenge

Rodri remained under the radar while starring in LaLiga, getting excellent accolades at Villarreal two seasons ago, and living his life as a student.

Rodri chose to live in a common space at the Universidad de Castellon in eastern Spain rather than rent a fancy apartment.

He studied Business Studies and Economics, juggling a perilous sports career with his studies, never missing a lecture.

And it perplexed his classmates that a professional footballer they saw on weekends was roaming the student halls.

Rodri undertook Business Studies and Economics during his time at Villarreal, when he was pictured studying in basic student halls 

Education has always been important to the midfielder 

Rodri studied Business Studies and Economics at the Universidad de Castellon

The room Rodri lived in during his university studies

“People were shocked when they saw Rodri, who was playing in the top flight but still living at the university residence,” his friend Valentin Henarejo told Marca.

“After the first few days of getting to know him, there was normality.

“He shared a space with everyone, he liked being with his friends and sitting on the sofa with everyone.

“But, of course, at the start it was strange seeing him playing table tennis or doing his washing.”

Going pro never changed him

Money for Rodri, who earns around £220,000-per-week at the Etihad, isn’t what motivates him, according to his mate that remembers his early days as he began to find his feet in Spain’s top flight.

In fact, rather than splash the cash on a Ferrari or Lamborghini like a lot of footballers, his first car was an old-banger he bought from an elderly lady.

Rodri’s first car was an old Opel Corsa he bought off an elderly lady 

“His car, until recently, was a second hand Opel Corsa which he bought from a woman when he got his driving licence,” Henarejo said.

“They advised him to buy a better one for his safety and the journeys from Madrid to Castellon, but he didn’t understand why he would spend so much on a car.

“In fact, one time he told me that some friends were ‘crazy’ for buying nice cars, all that mattered was that it takes you from A to B and that’s all.”

A practical boy, it could have been easy for Rodri’s personality to change when he began getting talked about by the Spanish press as the successor to midfield regista Busquets.

However, that wasn’t the case.

Henarejo revealed: “When he got to the first division he didn’t change.

“On a personal level his day-to-day life was the same. Train, travel to play, rest, study… as much as he could.

“He made the step up well, although there are always difficult moments when things don’t go well, but we helped each other mutually.”