Pedro retires after 43 goals and three trophies at Chelsea

Spanish winger Pedro has announced his retirement from professional football, ending a career that included a five-year spell at Chelsea where he became one of the club's most decorated signings.

Chelsea secured Pedro's signature from Barcelona in August 2015, and at the time he was the most decorated player to have represented the club. He made his debut against West Bromwich Albion on 23 August 2015, scoring the opening goal in a 3-2 away win.

In 260 appearances for Chelsea, Pedro scored 43 goals and provided 28 assists. The club never lost a match in which he scored — of the 39 games he found the net, Chelsea won 37 and drew two.

Of his 43 goals, 21 came with his left foot and 18 with his right, with the remainder scored by other means, reflecting the technical range that defined his game.

"He's been an incredible servant," then head coach Frank Lampard said after Pedro's final match in a Chelsea shirt. "The impact he has had here has been huge."

Pedro won three major trophies at Stamford Bridge: the Premier League in 2017, the FA Cup in 2018 and the Europa League in 2019. He was also named in UEFA's Europa League squad of the season for 2018/19.

He departed Chelsea in the summer of 2020, at the end of a season extended by the pandemic, having captained the side for one game and passed 200 club appearances. He subsequently joined Lazio in Serie A, where he continued playing into his late thirties.

At international level, Pedro earned 65 caps and scored 17 goals for Spain, winning the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. He also claimed a runners-up medal at the 2013 Confederations Cup.

Among his Chelsea milestones, Pedro scored the club's 1,000th Premier League goal at Stamford Bridge, against Fulham during the 2018/19 season.