Baltasar Rodríguez

Baltasar Rodríguez

Personal information
Full name	Baltasar Luis Gallego Rodríguez
Date of birth	(2003-07-09) 9 July 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth	Monte Hermoso, Argentina
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Racing Club
Number	22
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2023–	Racing Club	49	(6)
International career^‡
2024–	Argentina U23	5	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:49, 13 January 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13:00, 2 September 2024 (UTC)

Baltasar Luis Gallego Rodríguez (born 9 July 2003) is an Argentine footballer who plays as a midfielder for Racing Club de Avellaneda.

Club career

Born in Monte Hermoso in Buenos Aires Province,[1] Rodríguez joined the youth ranks of Racing Club de Avellaneda from his hometown club in 2019.[2] His agent is Robert Pires, 1998 FIFA World Cup champion with the France national football team.[3]

In August 2022, Rodríguez signed his first professional contract to tie himself to Racing until the end of 2026, with a release clause of €20 million.[4] He made his debut in the Argentine Primera División on 8 May 2023 in a 4–2 home loss to Talleres de Córdoba; he came on as a 55th-minute substitute for Gabriel Hauche and became the first top-flight player from his town.[1] His continental bow came on 8 June in a 2–1 Copa Libertadores group loss to Flamengo in the Maracanã Stadium.[5] On 19 August he started the game away to Unión de Santa Fe and scored his first goal to open a 1–1 draw for the club managed by Fernando Gago.[6] He finished his first season with five goals.[7]

On 20 August 2024, Rodríguez scored his first continental goal to start a 6–1 win over Chile's Huachipato FC at El Cilindro, putting his side into the quarter-finals of the Copa Sudamericana 8–1 on aggregate.[8] His team won the final 3–1 over Brazil's Cruzeiro in Asunción, though he was an unused substitute.[9]

International career

Rodríguez was part of the Argentina national under-23 football team at the 2024 CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament. He played five games as the team won their group, scoring to begin a 3–3 draw with Uruguay on 2 February.[10]

Honours

• Copa Sudamericana: 2024[9]

References

1. "Baltasar Rodríguez, primer futbolista montermoseño en jugar en Primera de AFA" [Baltasar Rodríguez, first footballer from Monte Hermoso to play in the AFA Primera División] (in Spanish). La Brújula 24. 10 May 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
2. Maderna, Hernando (29 March 2023). "El pibe de Racing que puede reemplazar a Carbonero" [The Racing lad who could replace Carbonero]. Olé (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 September 2024.
3. Grazioli, Gustavo (7 March 2022). "Robert Pires: "Los jugadores de acá tienen calidad"" [Robert Pires: "The players here have quality"]. Página 12 (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 September 2024.
4. "Otro mojón en la carrera de Baltasar Rodríguez: firmó su primer contrato profesional" [Another milestone in the career of Baltasar Rodríguez: he signed his first professional contract] (in Spanish). Noticias Monte Hermoso. 6 August 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
5. "Debut internacional. Baltasar Rodríguez jugó en el Maracaná de Río de Janeiro por la Libertadores" [International debut. Baltasar Rodríguez played in the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro for the Libertadores] (in Spanish). Noticias Monte Hermoso. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
6. "La alegría de Baltasar Rodríguez por su primer gol en Racing" [Baltasar Rodríguez's joy for his first goal for Racing] (in Spanish). La Brújula 24. 19 August 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
7. Maderna, Hernando (14 February 2024). "Baltasar no descansa y estará en Racing vs Godoy Cruz" [Baltasar does not rest and will be in Racing vs Godoy Cruz]. Olé (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 September 2024.
8. "Racing golea a Huachipato y se clasifica a los cuartos de final" [Racing thrash Huachipato and qualify for the quarter-finals]. D10 (in Spanish). 20 August 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
9. Pérez, Héctor (23 November 2024). "Racing se llena de gloria" [Racing fill themselevs with glory]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 November 2024.
10. "La ráfaga de goles en el empate entre la Selección Argentina Sub 23 y Uruguay" [The burst of goals in the draw between the Argentina under-23 national team and Uruguay] (in Spanish). TyC Sports. 3 February 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.