‘I don’t think I’m coming back’ Ex-Leeds United forward reflects on Elland Road days and major competition return

In 2020, Leeds United returned to the Premier League following a 16-year absence that was blighted by years of financial mismanagement, poor ownership and general hubris on and off the pitch.

With that promotion came a financial windfall and Leeds would quickly respond by breaking their transfer record, which had stood since the £18 million arrival of Rio Ferdinand from West Ham in November 2000, almost 20 years earlier.

The man tasked with scoring the goals to keep Leeds in the Premier League was Spain international Rodrigo Moreno, who arrived from Valencia in a £27m deal, signing a four-year deal in the process.

Rodrigo on swapping La Liga for the Premier League

Rodrigo’s arrival in England came after he had begun to establish himself in the Spain squad, but he admits the change of pace from La Liga to the Premier League presented a challenge.

“I think for every player who arrives to the Premier League, their first season is very difficult,” the 34-year-old told Flashscore. “It’s very physical and demanding and the pace of the game is completely different.

“The Premier League sometimes looks and feels like a different sport, you know? It was a very challenging moment in my career. Especially for the first season and a half with Bielsa, a very good but very demanding coach…”

It was Marcelo Bielsa who led Leeds out of the Championship and to a ninth-place finish in their first season back, but he would lose his job the following season when results turned. Rodrigo, however, remains appreciative of his time playing for the Argentine.

“It was a very good experience,” he continues. “I learned a lot from him, in many different ways. He is a legend in Leeds, people there love him, and deservedly so.

“After more than 20 years, he brought them back to the Premier League. It was special playing for him, I always wish him all the best.”

Rodrigo left Leeds for Al-Rayyan after Leeds were relegated at the end of the 2022/23 season and after a loan stint with Al-Gharafa, he remains at the Qatari side.

That move appeared to mark the end of his international career, with his 28th and – so far – final appearance coming in 2023. Does he ever see a way back?

“I don’t think I’ll be coming back,” he admits. “I’m almost 35, playing at a different level. Spain have a very good group now to achieve what they want. But I will always be grateful for the national team, from the U20s World Cup, the Olympics, through the Euros and World Cup with La Roja…

“And I’m happy I was able to finish by winning the Nations League with them, too. I’ll always be grateful for my time there and all the people I shared it with.”

For more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others and worked at FourFourTwo throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown.