In Spanish, 'Pelossi was 25 years old when he became a national civil hero' is best expressed as 'tenía 25 años'.
The best way to express 'Pelossi was 25 years old when he became a national civil hero' in Spanish is:
In this context, the correct option is 'tenía 25 años' as it refers to his age at the specific point in the past when he became a hero.