The Best Footballers to come from the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are most renowned for their stunning views, sunshine, and a unique, rich culture. The islands that make up the archipelago are Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa. When thinking of the Canaries, we often overlook the footballing talent that has come out of the various islands.
With approximately 2.25 million people spread across the islands, it is a seemingly impossible task for the clubs of the Canaries to compete with the best of the best in La Liga. Considering this, we have often seen some Canary Island residents take their talents to mainland Spain and other European countries to broadcast their footballing ability amongst the best of the best.
These Canary Island-born footballers not only showcase their talents on the biggest stages, but they also impact various fans' matched betting strategies. In this article, we will visit some of the best footballers to ever come out of the Canary Islands.
David Silva
David Silva is widely considered one of the best midfielders of his generation, mostly remembered for his years at Manchester City. Silva is a Spanish resident who was born in Gran Canaria. In his early years in Gran Canaria, he played as a goalkeeper for a local side before becoming a winger, imitating his idol Michael Laudrup.
David Silva joined Valencia’s youth setup at the age of 14, which is where he would get his professional football breakthrough later on in his career. After some impressive performances for the Valencia B team, he was loaned out to Eibar in 2014, where he made 35 appearances in the second tier of Spanish football. Silva would make his debut for Valencia's first team in 2006, becoming an important player at just 20 years old. He played for Valencia from 2006 to 2010, leading them to the Copa Del Rey trophy.
Silva joined Manchester City in 2010 as the team became competitive in the Premier League, and would go on to play 10 years for Manchester City, winning 4 league titles, as well as other major titles. In the later stages of his career, he joined Real Sociedad, where he would win his second Copa Del Rey. Silva retired in 2023 as a World Cup winner with Spain, on top of an additional 13 major trophies.
Pedro
Pedro Eliezer Rodríguez Ledesma is a Spanish footballer who operates mainly on the wing. He was born in Adeje in the south of Tenerife, where he began his footballing career. In his early years, Pedro played for the local club, San Isidro, and it was here that he made his professional debut, playing for the first team in the fourth tier of Spanish football.
Pedro joined the infamous La Masia in 2004 after getting scouted at a youth competition, and climbed up the ranks in Barcelona’s academy before breaking through into the first team in 2008. Pedro would play at Barcelona for 7 seasons, winning 3 UEFA Champions Leagues, 7 La Liga titles, and other major titles. In these accolades, Pedro was a part of the iconic treble-winning team that goes down in the history books as one of the greatest teams ever.
Pedro joined Chelsea in the Premier League and scored and assisted on his debut. He played 5 seasons at Chelsea, winning more trophies before leaving for Roma in 2020. Pedro’s time at Roma was a time to forget, shadowed by harsh injuries which limited his playing time. He left for Lazio just a year after he joined Roma, where he plays today, and he is primarily used as a substitute due to his age.
Pedri
Pedro González López, known as Pedri, is a Spanish centre midfielder who currently plays for Barcelona in the LaLiga. He is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world at just 22 years of age.
Pedri was born in 2002 in Tenerife and began his youth career playing for UD Teguedte as a central defender. Despite this, Pedri left for a short spell at Laguna and then the most notable club in the Canary Islands, Las Palmas. He joined the club's youth set-up in 2018, and the following year, Pedri signed his first professional contract worth 4 years, and he also made his professional debut, aged just 16. After impressing for Las Palmas at such a young age, Barcelona signed Pedri. Pedri joined Barcelona in the summer of 2020 and became a part of the first team squad immediately.
To date, Pedri has made over 100 appearances for Barcelona and has been monumental in their two league titles, as well as a huge part of Spain's UEFA European Championship. In 2021, Pedri was awarded the Golden Boy award, given to the best player under 21 in world football.
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