100% convinced - Heartbreak as 28-year-old LaLiga player forced to leave football after cancer relapse

Kirian Rodriguez of Las Palmas.

100% convinced - Heartbreak as 28-year-old LaLiga player forced to leave football after cancer relapse

Izuchukwu Akawor • Izuchukwu Akawor • 11:21 - 07.02.2025

The talented footballer has been free of cancer since 2023 but will be forced off after it returned.

Las Palmas captain Kirian Rodríguez has announced he will be stepping away from football indefinitely after suffering a relapse of cancer. 

The 28-year-old midfielder, who was previously treated for Hodgkin lymphoma in 2022, revealed the difficult news at a press conference on Thursday, with support from club president Miguel Angel Ramirez and other club officials14.

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Rodríguez, a youth product of Las Palmas, has been a key player for the team since his first-team debut in 2019. 

He made a comeback in April 2023 after undergoing treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer that impacts the lymphatic system. 

Rodriguez on duty for Las Palmas.
Rodriguez on duty for Las Palmas.

He had been diagnosed with the disease in August 2022. This season, he has participated in 21 of the club's 22 La Liga matches.

"The results indicate a relapse,” he said. “This is a challenge, but I am ready to fight once more," Rodríguez stated. He will now undergo another six months of chemotherapy. 

Rodriguez was diagnosed with the disease in August 2022.
Rodriguez was diagnosed with the disease in August 2022.

"I was informed that my cancer has returned yesterday. This means I’ll have to step away again and undergo another course of chemotherapy to fight the disease," he said.

Despite the setback, Rodríguez remains positive, expressing hope to return for the 2025/26 season and that Las Palmas will remain in the first division. 

"I hope to see you all again in the 2025/26 season. I’m 100% convinced that we’ll see each other again in LALIGA EA SPORTS,” he added.

Las Palmas conveyed their support in a message, "We know the path. Together in this fight, captain!". 

LaLiga and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) also sent messages of encouragement. Several clubs, including Real Madrid and Athletic Club Bilbao, have also expressed their support.