Pedri will return to Barcelona looking very different after confirming that he intends to fulfil one of Spain’s most unusual World Cup promises.
The 23-year-old midfielder told supporters during an event in Shanghai that he will dye his hair blonde or white after returning to his home in Tenerife.
Pedri made the promise before Spain won the World Cup and now accepts that there is no way out.
“Yes, I have to fulfil it,” he said.
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The new look will be completed after his trip to China but before he reports back for Barcelona’s preseason preparations.
According to the Chinese report carrying Pedri’s comments from Shanghai, the midfielder told the audience that supporters would soon see the final result.
Hair transformation is already planned
Pedri did not specify whether he had finally chosen blonde or white.
He did, however, provide a clear timetable.
The midfielder said he would travel home to Tenerife, have his hair dyed and then continue to Barcelona for the beginning of his club preparations.
The promise forms part of a collection of unusual commitments made by Spanish players before the World Cup. Several members of the squad pledged changes to their hair, appearance or body if they lifted the trophy.
For Pedri, the decision will represent a particularly striking transformation. He has rarely altered his appearance significantly during his rise from Las Palmas prospect to one of Barcelona and Spain’s most important players.
Hidden tradition with his father revealed
The Shanghai interview also revealed a more personal tradition behind Pedri’s celebrations.
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Whenever he wins a major trophy, he takes a penalty against his father, Fernando, who stands in goal.
Pedri explained that his father played as a goalkeeper when he was younger. Their post-title penalty allows the family to continue a ritual connecting the midfielder’s present success with his childhood.
“It is a tradition we have every time we win a trophy,” Pedri explained during the event.
The ritual was repeated after Spain’s World Cup triumph. Pedri expressed the hope that they would have many more opportunities to perform it in the future.
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Family created his football obsession
Pedri also spoke extensively about his childhood and the influence of his family.
He began playing football at around four years old, often alongside his older brother. His father had once hoped to become a professional player himself, while the entire family supported Barcelona and the Spanish national team.
Pedri recalled constantly having a ball at his feet inside the family home.
By the time his father was waking up to prepare for work, Pedri was often already playing football indoors. He admitted that the noise could occasionally disturb the rest of the household, but believes that the hours spent with the ball ultimately made the difference.
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The midfielder said his family was the principal force behind his dream of becoming a professional.
China reception catches Pedri by surprise
Pedri’s visit covered Beijing, Suzhou and Shanghai and combined commercial appearances with cultural experiences.
He visited the Great Wall and the Temple of Heaven, tried a traditional Chinese diabolo and wore historical clothing while playing cuju, an ancient Chinese ball game regarded as an early predecessor of modern football.
The midfielder said visiting the Great Wall had been a personal ambition after repeatedly seeing it on Instagram and other social platforms.
The wider tour was arranged after Spain’s World Cup victory and included Pedri’s family and partner. Chinese coverage of the opening stage of the visit documented his appearances in Beijing before he continued to Suzhou and Shanghai.
Nearly 32,000 watch Pedri at local derby
One of the most remarkable stops came at a regional match between Suzhou and Wuxi.
Pedri was invited to perform the ceremonial kick-off before an attendance officially reported at 31,626.
The Jiangsu city competition began with relatively modest status but has grown into a major local phenomenon, drawing large crowds through matches connected to regional identity and civic rivalry.
Pedri wore a specially designed shirt combining the colours of the two teams and greeted the crowd in the local dialect.
According to the Chinese report from the Suzhou event, the appearance was part of the midfielder’s first overseas trip after becoming a world champion.
Support from another culture moves him
The scale of his popularity in China appeared to surprise Pedri.
A representative of his local fan club said around 300 supporters had travelled to Suzhou to see him. At the Shanghai event, the audience repeatedly chanted his name.
Pedri said he knew he had followers in China but had not realised how many people were interested in both him and the Spanish national team.
He described receiving support from people in a different country and culture as “a beautiful thing.”
Chinese reports also claimed that posts connected to his visit attracted more than nine million views within 24 hours, while pictures of him playing cuju in traditional clothing spread widely across local platforms.
More than a promotional tour
Pedri’s visit was commercially organised, but it also arrived at an important moment for Barcelona’s presence in China.
The club has resumed Barça Academy activities in the country, with summer camps in Qingdao and Chengdu designed to teach young players the technical and collective principles associated with Barcelona.
Barcelona’s official announcement of the Chinese academy programme described the initiative as an attempt to reconnect the club with young players after several years away.
Pedri is a natural figurehead for that expansion. His style, based on awareness, control and passing rather than physical dominance, closely represents the footballing identity Barcelona wants to export.
A world champion returns with a new status
Pedri travelled to China as a Barcelona star. He leaves as a player who has discovered the international scale of his reputation.
The journey allowed him to celebrate the World Cup, reconnect with childhood memories and experience a supporter culture far removed from Spain.
It also created one unavoidable appointment.
Before Pedri walks back into Barcelona’s training ground, he must first stop at the hairdresser.
The world champion made his promise.
China made sure he would not forget it.
