Pedri González has achieved an unprecedented record: in just 628 days (21 months, less than two years) he has made his debut in all possible categories of the Spanish National Team. It is a process that is planned to last at least six years, from when footballers enter the Under-17 until they stop being Under-21 and, in theory, they should be ready to make the jump to the Absolute. The canary, however, has burst all the schemes with astonishing precocity.
His official debut with the Spain jersey came on October 28, 2019, at the U-17 World Cup in Brazil against Argentina (0-0). It is the first time that La Roja was wearing it, because a few months before it had not been called up for the U-17 European Championship in the category, in which Spain lost in the semifinals against the Netherlands with David Gordo as coach. The months that elapse between those two tournaments, the U-17 European Championship and the World Cup in the same category (from May to October 2019), are in which Pedri's life begins to change: Pepe Mel decides to raise him directly from the Las Palmas Youth to the first team, Barcelona signs him (leaving him a year on loan in the Canary Islands) and enters the National Team's plans for the first time to play a World Cup.
Since then, his progression has been unstoppable: on February 26, 2020 he debuted with the U-19 in a friendly against Denmark (his only meeting in that category), On September 3, 2020 he made his debut with the U21 against Macedonia, on March 25 he played his first match with the Absolute against Greece and on July 17 he closed the circle with his debut with the Olympic against Japan. In less than two years it has burned each and every one of the stages that others take years to overcome. A path in which many tend to stay on the road, but that Pedri has traveled at full speed.
To put into perspective what he is achieving, the boys of the age of the canary (born in 2002) ended their stage as Youths on June 30 to make the leap to professionals. This summer he would have had to play the Under-19 European Championship (suspended by COVID) and it is not until September 2023 that the Under-21 cycle begins for those of his generation (now that of those born in 2000 starts). That is to say, the last tournament of the lower categories that by age he would have to live is the European Under-21 Championship of 2025. Along the way, Pedri still has time to play the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, in which he will also be an advance: that edition will be played by those born after January 1, 2001.
In a formative stage in which those of his generation are preparing to make the leap to professional football, Pedri has already played in the First Division, in the Champions League, a European Championship and in a few days he will debut in the Olympic Games. In fact, of that generation of 2002 that played the 2019 U-17 World Cup, the presence in the First Division is still scarce: only Ilaix (Barcelona), Javi López (Alavés), Yeremy Pino (Villarreal), Robert Navarro ( Real Sociedad), Germán Valera (Atlético) and Blesa (Alavés). The first three have been really important in their teams, while in the other three cases they were punctual premieres but without being in first-team dynamics yet. Thus, comparing him with those of his age, the dimension of what Pedri is achieving in a few months is better understood …