Pedri

A Barcelona academy product who broke into the first team as a teenager, Pedri has become the club's primary midfield distributor, the player the rest of the team's tempo is built around in possession.

He was part of Spain's run to the 2026 World Cup title, featuring in all seven of the country's matches for a combined 413 minutes as Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the final.

At Barcelona he plays as a deep-lying creator who dictates tempo through volume and accuracy of passing rather than direct dribbling — in the World Cup quarterfinal against Belgium alone he completed 304 of 356 passes, 85.4% accuracy.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has been explicit that the national team cannot use him the same way Barcelona does, describing him as comfortable in a '6', '8' or '10' role but needing the freedom to make late runs and take the final pass or shot rather than just circulate possession.

Pedri began the 2026 World Cup as the focal point of Spain's midfield but saw his role evolve into a high-impact substitute during the knockout rounds, including the final against Argentina, as De la Fuente rotated personnel to match different opponents.

Spain won the tournament regardless, meaning Pedri added a World Cup winner's medal without necessarily being first choice in the biggest matches — a tactical footnote to an otherwise successful campaign.