The 17-year-old is turning heads at home and abroad with a series of clinical displays, and could be about to explode in the men's game
England's Under-17 European Championship charge this summer ended rather prematurely with a disappointing group-stage exit, but that was not through the fault of star striker Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez. The Lyon forward was the only attacker who showed up during the Young Lions' first two games of the competition, and ended the tournament with an impressive return of four goals from three games.
Despite the team's struggles on the whole, there remains hope that this England age-group will be more successful further down the line, boasting the likes of Arsenal playmaker Max Dowman, Leeds striker Harry Gray and Liverpool winger Rio Ngumoha. However, Rodriguez is the one who was able to leave this tournament with his head held high.
There's no guarantee that Rodriguez will continue representing England, though, as he could change his mind to play for Venezuela or Portugal at a moment's notice. After all, he's already decided to leave his family home in Hampshire for France in the hope of igniting his career.
So who is Rodriguez, and why did he live up to the hype where others failed to this summer? GOAL has the lowdown…
Where it all began
Rodriguez was born on March 11, 2008, in the city of Caracas in Venezuela. He moved to England at the age of 10 with his extended family already living there, and wanted a chance to impress local side Southampton. Instead, they determined he should get some experience lower down the pyramid at first, and so he joined Eastleigh under the pretence that the Saints would come calling again if he developed as hoped.
In a recent interview, Rodriguez told England Football: "When I was a young kid, I always wanted to be a professional footballer. I played football in Venezuela mainly through school and that was one of my goals, to move to a European country. My uncle helped to move me and all my family over to England, and I've just gone through the ranks of football since then and it's all been very fast for me to be honest."
It didn't take long for the big boys of the south coast to pick Rodriguez up after he 'scored lots of goals' – some sources claim as many as 334 in 136 matches – and in 2022 he indeed signed for Southampton, who boast one of the most successful academies in the country. While still only 15, the forward was fast-tracked into the Saints' Under-21s side to play in the Premier League 2, where he scored on his debut with a scything half-volley against Tottenham.
Given he had only been in the professional academy game for not even 24 months at this point, this was the moment scouts from all over Europe sat up and took notice of Rodriguez's talent.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe big break
All of a sudden, Rodriguez was hot property. He had already been capped at youth level by all of the countries he's eligible to represent in England, Venezuela and Portugal – available for the latter through his grandparents – by the time of his Premier League 2 debut goal, but now there was real recognition that he could be a superstar of the future. Southampton, too, were aware of the prospect on their hands, but faced a real struggle to keep him on their books.
The Saints wanted to tie Rodriguez down to a new deal in hope of agreeing a future first-team contract back in 2024, but were aware that the forward had the choice to take his talents elsewhere. There had already been frustration brewing after he played on the wing as opposed to his favoured position as a centre-forward, though Southampton were confident he would stay regardless.
Rodriguez, however, accepted an offer to join Lyon that summer, with Southampton receiving a measly £150,000 compensation fee. "I know that Lyon is a great club. It gives youngsters the chance to prove their worth so they can get into the first team. And that's what I'm looking for," he said upon his arrival in France.
A surprising influence on Rodriguez's decision was former Arsenal defender Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who spent the 2022-23 season on loan at Southampton before signing for Lyon. "I trained with him for a week," Rodriguez said of him. "We were in London, and it was really interesting to train with a first-team player who has played for big clubs like Lyon and Arsenal. It helped me become a better player. I asked him a lot of questions because I didn't know what to choose. He helped me make the right choice at the right time."
Rodriguez spent much of 2024-25 in Lyon's reserve and U19 teams, ending the campaign with 12 goals and three assists in 22 games across both levels. These exploits caught the eye of senior boss Paulo Fonseca, who called the attacker into the first team for the final few months of the season. After being named an unused substitute in their Europa League quarter-final with Manchester United, Rodriguez was handed his professional debut on May 5, coming off the bench in a 2-1 loss to Lens in Ligue 1.
How it's going
Rodriguez has most recently made waves for his performances with England U17s at this summer's Euros. It was his strike which got the Young Lions off the mark in a 1-1 draw with Belgium to open their tournament campaign, dropping deep to drag defenders out of space before racing in behind and thundering in at the near post.
"As a striker you need to score goals to shine, and I took my chance," he said post-match. "I only really had one chance in the game and I managed to take it, so that was great. I just want to get more now and be the top goal-scorer. In the qualifying round [in March], I scored three goals in three games so I was happy with my performance there, so I think that’s why I’m here again. That’s my job really and probably why the coach picked me, to help the team out and that’s why I’m here."
In their next game, England fell 4-2 to Italy, but again Rodriguez shone brightly. He twice brought the scores level, first to 1-1 with a sweeping finish typical of a No.9, before then turning an Italian defender inside-out with his quick feet and slotting home to make it 2-2 after half-time.
England's final group game saw them race into a four-goal lead early on in an eventual 4-2 win against Czechia, though that was not enough to save them from elimination on goal difference. Nevertheless, Rodriguez popped up with what is quickly becoming a trademark finish, using his pace to beat the last line before setting himself and coolly dispatching from close range.
Only Italy's Samuel Inacio beat Rodriguez's tally of four goals during the tournament, but considering England went out in the groups, you can hardly lay blame at the Lyon man's door for not taking home the Golden Boot.
Getty ImagesBiggest strengths
In his own words, Rodriguez is a striker who loves scoring: "I've always been a goal-scorer growing up, and I've played there this season with Lyon. Before that, I had been playing on the wing for Southampton, but I said to myself that I want to be a striker, and I told Lyon when I moved that I wanted to be a striker and I want to score goals."
Youth scouts have previously noted that Rodriguez has almost always been physically mature for his age, able to use the gifts of his pace and strength to make himself a handful up front. reported that it was for this reason that he was able to gain first-team exposure in training with Southampton.
Rodriguez has spoken of his frustration at being utilised as a right winger by the Saints, but the club's staff insisted this was to help develop his abilities both on and off the ball, making him more of a well-rounded forward rather than a one-trick pony. This led to him ending the 2023-24 Premier League 2 season with nine assists in only 10 games, and this reluctant stint on the flanks may well serve Rodriguez well later in his career.
There is something to be said of Rodriguez's personal fearlessness and adaptability. The easy decision in 2024 would have been to take the new contract at Southampton, yet instead he opted to start a new life in a country where he didn't speak the language. Such mental fortitude is the attitude all young players should strive for.