Last Updated on September 27, 2026 by Siara Costa
Santiago Rodríguez is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer. His full name is Santiago Mariano Rodríguez Molina, and he was born on January 8, 2000, in Montevideo, Uruguay. After developing at Nacional, he went on to represent Montevideo City Torque, New York City FC and Botafogo before returning to MLS with Columbus in 2026.
Family has been one of the strongest influences throughout Rodríguez’s career. His father, Fernando, accompanied him through the demanding early years of youth football, while his younger brother, Rubén, also shared many of those childhood experiences. Rodríguez has also spoken publicly about his grandmother’s importance in making him a passionate Nacional supporter. In his personal life, he has a longtime American girlfriend with strong Uruguayan family roots, although he generally keeps her identity private.
Santiago Rodríguez’s Girlfriend
Santiago Rodríguez is in a relationship with an American woman whom he met after moving to the United States to play for New York City FC.
Rodríguez first discussed the relationship publicly during his years in New York. He explained that his girlfriend was American but had an international family background, including Uruguayan and Armenian roots.
Her connection with Uruguay became particularly meaningful because Rodríguez is deeply attached to Nacional, the club where he began his professional career.
In a later interview, Rodríguez revealed that his girlfriend’s parents are Uruguayan. Her father is also a Nacional supporter and made his daughter a club member from the time she was born.
Rodríguez said his girlfriend later traveled to Uruguay, attended a Nacional match and became fascinated by the atmosphere surrounding the club.
Despite discussing their relationship publicly, Rodríguez has not consistently revealed his girlfriend’s name through major media interviews. For that reason, it is better to avoid attaching an unverified identity to her.
As of now, there is no reliable public announcement confirming that Rodríguez and his girlfriend are married or engaged.
Does Santiago Rodríguez Have Children?
As of now, there is no reliable public information confirming that Santiago Rodríguez has children.
Recent interviews in which he discusses his girlfriend and family do not identify him as a father, and neither Columbus Crew nor his previous clubs have announced the birth of a son or daughter.
Rodríguez is relatively open when discussing his parents, brother and grandmother, but he maintains considerably more privacy regarding his romantic and household life.
Santiago Rodríguez’s Parents
Rodríguez grew up in Montevideo in a modest family environment. He has spoken about the financial difficulties his family experienced during his childhood and the sacrifices that were necessary for him to continue pursuing football.
His father, Fernando, is particularly well documented because he was closely involved in Santiago’s youth career. His mother has remained much further outside the public spotlight, and reliable reporting does not consistently identify her by name.
Santiago Rodríguez’s Father: Fernando
Santiago Rodríguez’s father is named Fernando. He was one of the most important people behind his son’s development from baby football to Nacional.
When Santiago was playing youth football in Montevideo, a scout known as “Pato” noticed his talent and offered him an opportunity to train with Nacional’s development structure at Rincón de Carrasco.
Fernando immediately supported the opportunity even though reaching training was far from easy.
Several times each week, father and son traveled across Montevideo by bus. They would leave from the Millán and Lecocq area, take the number 145 bus and travel for around 45 minutes before continuing toward the training ground.
The entire journey had to be repeated after practice. It was a considerable commitment for the family, but Fernando continued making the trips because he believed in his son’s potential.
Fernando Rodríguez Became a Youth Coach
Football eventually became more than simply something Fernando watched from the sidelines.
After accompanying Santiago during his early development, Fernando became involved as a coach at Rincón de Carrasco. While his son trained and played, Fernando also worked with young footballers.
People who knew the family during Santiago’s development have described Fernando as an important stabilizing influence.
Rodríguez himself has credited his father with teaching him how to approach both football and life. Fernando constantly reminded his sons of the dangers and distractions they could encounter while growing up and encouraged them to remain focused on their goals.
Fernando Accompanied Santiago to New York
Fernando’s support did not end when Santiago became a professional.
After Rodríguez moved to New York City FC in 2021, his father spent significant periods with him in the United States while the young midfielder adapted to life in a different country.
Rodríguez has recalled humorous moments from their time together in New York, including his father becoming fascinated by the enormous American supermarkets.
Having Fernando nearby was particularly useful during the early stages of Santiago’s move because he was adjusting to a new language, city and football environment.
Santiago Rodríguez’s Mother
Unlike his father, Santiago Rodríguez’s mother has maintained a very private profile.
Reliable Uruguayan interviews discussing Rodríguez’s childhood and football development do not consistently identify her by name.
The footballer usually refers to his family collectively rather than discussing his mother individually, while media profiles have focused mainly on Fernando because of his direct involvement in Santiago’s youth football journey.
It would therefore be inappropriate to attach a name or profession to Rodríguez’s mother without stronger public documentation.
Santiago Rodríguez’s Brother: Rubén
Santiago Rodríguez has a younger brother named Rubén. Uruguayan reporting identifies Rubén as approximately four years younger than Santiago.
Rubén was part of the family’s football routine from an early age. He sometimes accompanied Santiago and Fernando during the lengthy journeys across Montevideo for Nacional training.
The brothers also grew up together in a neighborhood environment where football occupied a major part of Santiago’s life.
Rodríguez has recalled how his father regularly spoke to both sons about making good decisions and avoiding situations that could damage their futures.
Rubén and Santiago’s Shared Love for Nacional
Nacional also became a bond between Santiago and his younger brother.
Before Rodríguez became a first-team player, he attended Nacional matches as a supporter. Santiago and Rubén would sometimes watch games from the popular sections of the stadium alongside friends.
That experience made Santiago’s eventual first-team breakthrough especially emotional.
After becoming a Nacional player, Rodríguez occasionally looked toward the stands for relatives who were occupying the same areas where he had previously stood as a fan.
During one important match, he specifically tried to locate his brother and a cousin in the crowd.
Does Santiago Rodríguez Have Other Siblings?
Rubén is the sibling clearly documented by major Uruguayan profiles of Santiago Rodríguez.
Reliable sources do not provide enough evidence to determine whether Santiago has any additional brothers or sisters.
For that reason, Rubén should be described as his publicly known younger brother rather than assuming that he is necessarily Santiago’s only sibling.
Santiago Rodríguez’s Grandmother
Rodríguez has also spoken warmly about his grandmother, who played an important role in both his childhood and his passion for Nacional.
When asked who made him a Nacional supporter, Rodríguez immediately credited his grandmother.
He explained that his entire family supports Nacional, but his grandmother was especially influential.
Her emotional reaction to his professional breakthrough remained one of the moments Rodríguez remembered most strongly.
When he made his first-team debut, his father sent him an audio recording of his grandmother reacting emotionally to seeing him reach the level they had dreamed about during his childhood.
Rodríguez has continued describing his grandmother as one of the pillars of his family even years after leaving Uruguay to play abroad.
How Santiago Rodríguez’s Family Supported His Football Career
Rodríguez’s path into professional football required considerable commitment from his family.
He began playing baby football at around four years old with Coami in Montevideo’s Paso Molino league. He later spent time with San Francisco de Nuevo París before his ability attracted Nacional’s attention.
Once that opportunity arrived, Fernando ensured that transportation difficulties did not prevent his son from attending training.
Rodríguez eventually entered Nacional’s formal youth system in 2013 and continued developing until reaching the first team.
The midfielder has repeatedly said that family remains the most important thing in his life and that one of the major motivations behind becoming a successful professional was gaining the ability to help his relatives financially.
Santiago Rodríguez’s Childhood and Financial Difficulties
Rodríguez has been open about the fact that his family did not have an easy financial situation while he was growing up.
His upbringing took place in working-class areas of Montevideo, where football was both a passion and a possible route toward a different future.
Despite the difficulties, Rodríguez has said his family raised him with strong values.
Fernando was particularly attentive to Santiago and Rubén during their teenage years and regularly warned them about situations that could take them away from their goals.
Santiago later credited those lessons with helping him remain focused on football even when friends around him took different paths.
Santiago Rodríguez and His Family’s Love for Nacional
Nacional occupies an unusually important position within the Rodríguez family.
Santiago grew up attending matches as a fan before joining the club’s youth academy and eventually playing professionally at the Gran Parque Central.
His father, brother, grandmother and other relatives were all supporters.
That connection remained strong even after Rodríguez moved abroad. He continued following Nacional from the United States and maintained relationships with former teammates and supporters.
His girlfriend has also developed a connection to the club through her own Uruguayan family. Her father is a Nacional supporter, creating another shared bond between their families.
Santiago Rodríguez’s Girlfriend and Her Uruguayan Roots
Although Rodríguez’s girlfriend was born in the United States, her family background has helped her understand his attachment to Uruguay.
Rodríguez has said her parents are Uruguayan, while earlier reporting also described Armenian heritage within her family.
Her father ensured that she became a Nacional club member from birth.
After later traveling to Uruguay and experiencing a match in person, she reportedly became impressed by the atmosphere and passion surrounding the club.
This has given Rodríguez another personal connection to Uruguay even while spending much of his professional life outside the country.
Santiago Rodríguez’s Move to the United States
Rodríguez left Uruguay for New York City FC in 2021 after developing with Nacional and Montevideo City Torque.
Moving abroad at a young age represented a major lifestyle change. His father initially accompanied him for long periods, helping reduce the difficulties of adapting to life in New York.
Rodríguez later became increasingly comfortable in the United States, improved his English and established a successful career with NYCFC.
It was also during his years in New York that he met his girlfriend.
Santiago Rodríguez’s Career From NYCFC to Columbus Crew
Rodríguez became an important player for New York City FC and helped the club win the 2021 MLS Cup and the 2022 Campeones Cup.
After several seasons in New York, he moved to Brazilian club Botafogo in 2025.
His stay in Brazil lasted until 2026, when Columbus Crew brought him back to Major League Soccer.
Columbus acquired Rodríguez from Botafogo as a Designated Player in September 2026. His contract runs through the 2029-30 season, with a club option for the following campaign.
The move gave Rodríguez another opportunity to build his career in the United States, a country where he had already spent several successful years and established important personal connections.
Santiago Rodríguez’s Family Life Today
As of now, Santiago Rodríguez continues to maintain a close relationship with his family while playing professionally in the United States.
His father is Fernando, the man who accompanied him through countless youth-training journeys and later spent time with him in New York. His publicly documented younger brother is Rubén, who is approximately four years younger.
His grandmother has also been a particularly influential figure and is the person Rodríguez credits with making him a Nacional supporter.
Rodríguez is in a long-term relationship with an American woman whose parents are Uruguayan. Her name has not been reliably disclosed in major public reporting, and there is no confirmed marriage or engagement as of now.
There is also no reliable public information indicating that Rodríguez has children.
Through every stage of his career, from baby football in Montevideo to Nacional, New York City FC, Botafogo and Columbus Crew, Rodríguez has continued to describe family as one of the most important foundations behind his success.
Frequently Asked Questions About Santiago Rodríguez’s Family
Who is Santiago Rodríguez’s girlfriend?
Santiago Rodríguez has a longtime American girlfriend whom he met while living in the United States. She has Uruguayan family roots, but her name has not been reliably disclosed by major public sources.
Is Santiago Rodríguez married?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Santiago Rodríguez is married as of now.
Does Santiago Rodríguez have children?
There are no publicly confirmed reports that Santiago Rodríguez has children as of now.
Who are Santiago Rodríguez’s parents?
Santiago Rodríguez’s father is named Fernando. His mother’s name has not been consistently documented by reliable public sources.
Who is Santiago Rodríguez’s father?
His father is Fernando, who played an important role throughout Santiago’s youth career. He regularly traveled across Montevideo with his son so he could attend Nacional training and later became involved in youth coaching himself.
Who is Santiago Rodríguez’s mother?
Santiago Rodríguez’s mother has maintained a private profile, and her name has not been reliably established by major Uruguayan football sources.
Does Santiago Rodríguez have siblings?
Yes. Santiago Rodríguez has a publicly documented younger brother named Rubén.
Who is Santiago Rodríguez’s brother?
His younger brother is Rubén Rodríguez, who is approximately four years younger than Santiago. Rubén occasionally accompanied Santiago and their father during his early youth-football years.
Who made Santiago Rodríguez a Nacional fan?
Rodríguez has credited his grandmother with making him a Nacional supporter, although he has said that his entire family supports the club.
Where is Santiago Rodríguez’s family from?
Rodríguez and his family are from Montevideo, Uruguay. He grew up around areas including Sayago and Conciliación while developing as a young footballer.
Is Santiago Rodríguez’s girlfriend Uruguayan?
She is American, but Rodríguez has said that her parents are Uruguayan. Earlier reporting also noted Armenian roots in her family.
Does Santiago Rodríguez still play in MLS?
Yes. As of now, Santiago Rodríguez plays for Columbus Crew after the club acquired him from Botafogo in September 2026.
Siara Costa is a football editor and writer covering both European men’s and women’s football, with a focus on league competitions, match coverage, and in-depth storytelling.
