In the world of football, it’s common practice to write off any exceptionally gifted young player as the next big thing, instead of giving them the chance to establish their own identities.
Youngsters are burdened with the expectation that they should perform to the level of the best players the game has ever seen.
It was the same for Rodrygo growing up in São Paulo.
At the age of twelve, he was dubbed the “new Neymar” by the Brazilian media. A year before, he had become the youngest athlete to ever sign a sponsorship contract with Nike, so you might forgive him for letting the gossip overshadow his amazing football skills.
After receiving the 2020 NxGn award, which is presented to the player deemed the finest teenage football player on the planet, Rodrygo tells Goal in an exclusive interview that he finds it difficult to see any benefits because he believes he will always be behind in comparison.
We are discussing Neymar, who is a hero for all that he has accomplished. It’s difficult for me to draw this comparison with him because I’m just getting started. Yes, it is positive because it shows that I am doing well and leading by example on the field, but there will always be a negative aspect to being compared to an idol.
“I’ve always advised avoiding these parallels. I end up with needless pressure being applied to me. Thank God, there was never any debate when I stated that I didn’t want to be compared (with anyone). There occasionally is, but it originates from outside, so it doesn’t really affect the game.
Rodrygo may downplay his chances of being the most expensive player in the world, but the Real Madrid winger is clearly headed for solo stardom based on the early evidence.
At the beginning of the 2019–20 season, the 17-year-old Brazilian was signed by Santos in a deal valued at €45 million (£39 million/$52 million). It was anticipated that he would play a significant portion of the season for the club’s Castilla team, which competes in the third division of Spanish football.
However, by the end of September, Zinedine Zidane had thrown him into the starting lineup because expensive summer additions Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic were having trouble staying healthy and performing well, respectively.
He scored the goal against Osasuna 93 seconds after coming on as a substitute, dribbling past a defender and curling a right-footed shot into the bottom corner.
His festivity? A salute to Santiago Bernabeu’s various corners. Madridistas now had a new idol.
In the lower echelons of Brazilian football, Eric, his father, played at all levels up to Serie B for nine different clubs.
Even though he was just 16 when Rodrygo was born, he made it obvious that he wanted his son to follow in his professional footsteps, even though his career sometimes prevented him from being a hands-on parent.
“My father frequently had to be at the clubs because he was also a player. It was only natural for a player to travel back and forth a lot. For me, that was the largest challenge, remembers Rodrygo.
We were occasionally in separate cities, therefore I used to cry over that. Although it was my greatest challenge, it also greatly aided in my maturation.
“My mother is indispensable—possibly even more so than my father—despite if she isn’t mentioned much in the narrative of my life. Both of them are in the running.
“My dad is always aware of that as he played football and comes from the same area. But my mother is also quite perceptive. Every day, she communicated with me a great deal.
“To me, family is everything. I call it my base. They are my constant supporters and go everywhere with me. To me, they are everything.
“I would stay outside all day,” he adds, thinking back to his early years. “I arrived to school early and spent the entire afternoon there. I used to get up early to play football until school time, then study in the afternoon.
“I played some more at night after getting home from school. I’ve always enjoyed playing football, hide-and-seek, and other outdoor activities.
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Rodrygo’s early years were naturally centered around football, despite the fact that he is an avid skateboarder and surfer (he still watches surfing competitions as a spectator during his free time from training in Madrid).When he first joined Santos Academy at age 10, he was a member of the futsal squad, playing in the same position as Robinho, a player whose career his father had hoped he would follow. Robinho was still one of the most recognizable players in the world of football at the beginning of the 2010s, despite the fact that his splashy transfer to Manchester City had not turned out the way he and the newly wealthy Premier League team had intended. Before departing for Europe at the age of 21, Robinho, too, started his career at Santos, where he appeared in over 100 Serie A games for the formidable Brazilian team.A decade later, Neymar took a nearly exact same route, playing 100 league games for Santos before moving from Brazil to Barcelona at the age of 21. The two wing players are revered as the cornerstones of contemporary Santos; they made an impression on the Peixe before joining the two largest clubs in Spain and earning more than 100 caps between them.But none of them can match Pele, the real monarch of Vila Belmiro. After more than 650 games played for the team, Pele averaged almost a goal a game until departing in 1975 to play his final game for the New York Cosmos.Pele is the epitome of perfection and probably always will be for any child entering the Santos system. Even if Rodrygo was compared to two far more modern players, the goal of becoming Brazil’s greatest player of all time has never been farther from his grasp.
He remembers, “They [Pele, Neymar, and Robinho] represent a lot for me.” Though I got to meet all three of them, Neymar was the one I followed the most.”I went to Pele’s house even before I arrived in Madrid, and I got his blessing before departing. “One thing Pele once said to me is, ‘Never be afraid of anything.’
” This is a phrase I will never forget, whatever I am or where I am on the Brazilian national team.”He advised me to play my game, play football, and to have no fear whatsoever for anything in my life. For me, that has been crucial, particularly during my early days at Real Madrid. “Robinho was a very kind person, just as he appears on TV, and he’s even better off the field. The few times we met, he was very nice to me. Neymar and I are still friends. I find great meaning in them. For me, they are my idols.”I watched Pele play a little [on video], but he is an idol since everything they say says he is the greatest player in history.
My greatest idol is Neymar. And Robinho, for everything he accomplished at Real Madrid and Santos alike. Rodrygo would make his Santos debut at the age of 16 years and 300 days, following in the footsteps of his idols, coming off the bench as a late substitution in a 3-1 Serie A victory over Atletico Mineiro.In the final moments of the match against Ponte Preta, he scored his first goal as a senior, just over two weeks after turning seventeen. Santos was the new hot spot for celebrities. Regarding his boyhood club, Rodrygo declares, “Santos is my life.” I can only express my gratitude to Santos for the club that accepted me when I was ten years old and provided for me till I was eighteen.”It is the club that will always hold a special place in my heart for everything it has done for my family and me, not just because I am a fan.
“I have deep feelings for Vila Belmiro. I’ve always wanted to be able to go into that stadium and play there.One of my best days ever was when I finally realized my dream of making my professional debut at Vila Belmiro. It was truly a dream come true. Vila is a dream, and I had a lot of fun playing there. Despite not having the same longevity at Santos as the previous superstars, Rodrygo still had a significant impact.He only played 41 Serie A games for the team before Madrid called, setting a Copa Libertadores record for both the youngest player in the club’s history and the youngest goalscorer in Brazil. He left the team by wearing the No. 11 on his back as a tribute to Neymar.Young boys rarely forget their heroes, even when fame and money call.
After making a sensational start for Madrid, Rodrygo spent the late fall making headlines once again.
It wasn’t until a Wednesday night in early November, during his debut La Liga start, that he scored his team’s second league goal and really shot to fame.
In just 375 seconds of the match against Galatasaray, the teenager, making only his second Champions League start, had already scored twice.
The chance to score the fastest hat-trick in the competition’s history presented itself when the Blancos were awarded a penalty in the fourteenth minute.
Never one to settle for a story, Sergio Ramos outwitted his opponent and scored from 12 yards out.
Despite the end of a fairy tale, Rodrygo didn’t allow the near-miss deter him from becoming a record breaker.
He gained control on the left, some 40 yards from goal, with Madrid leading 5-0 and the game heading into injury time. He then drove inside.
After playing the ball into Karim Benzema, he kept running, grabbing hold of the return pass to poke in the goal for his hat-trick—a flawless one, to boot.
By doing this, he made history by being the first player born in the twenty-first century to win the match ball and score a treble in Europe’s top club championship.
Rodrygo was accustomed to following in the footsteps of superstars, and his early performances indicated he had no trouble playing under Zidane, one of the most respected players in international football.
Zidane, who was praised for his ability to oversee the locker room during Real Madrid’s run of three consecutive Champions League victories, is now in charge of assembling a team that can duplicate that performance.
However, those same guys are now two years older, and the person who deserves the most credit for the titles is now in Turin, 1,500 kilometers away.
A number of young players, like Rodrygo, have been recruited to the Bernabeu in recent years to assist Zidane in developing his new generation of Galacticos.
Additionally, there are indications that they are in agreement even if they haven’t used him as much since the year’s beginning.
Rodrygo says, “We have a very good relationship.” He’s a guy that welcomed me warmly, looked after me well here, and knew when to bring me in to warm up and play.
Now, I think he plays a big part in my ability to perform well. He chats to me, gives me advice on how to get better, and compliments me on my accomplishments. He helps me a lot every day.
“We’ve had a great time together the entire time.”
Zidane’s future attack is starting to take on a samba flavor with the addition of fellow Brazilian Reinier in January, following the 19-year-old’s arrival 12 months after that of fellow countryman Vinicius Junior.
The three have already cost Madrid a total of €126 million (£107 million/$138 million). Although they will have time to mature, the day will come when they can guide one of the greatest teams in Europe into a new era.
Rodrygo states, “We have this dream of making history here at Real Madrid and in the national team.” “Vinicius and I have a great working relationship.
We met in Brazil, but due to the distance between our hometowns—Rio and Sao Paulo—we were only able to communicate online and over WhatsApp.
“We spend every day together now, and our friendship is growing stronger. We have many interests and aspirations that we aspire will come true.
“I think they are wanting to set up a trio here, or a Brazilian quartet up front!” he said upon Reinier’s arrival. Let’s see, I’m still unsure.
For many back home, the prospect of three Brazilians of the same generation starting for Real Madrid is not insignificant.
Twenty years will have passed since the Selecao last hoisted the most prestigious trophy of them all at the 2022 World Cup; of the four tournaments that have come back, only one has seen a country that made it to the final of the three previous editions advance to the semifinals.
Shortly after his debut against Galatasaray, Rodrygo made his debut for Brazil, playing the last 20 minutes of a 1-0 friendly loss to Argentina in November.
If he can get back to his 2019 form, he should be able to secure a spot in the team for the Copa America defense next summer.
As he considers his Selecao bow, he remarks, “To wear this shirt is the biggest dream of every Brazilian boy.” It’s a realization of a dream. Wearing this shirt more frequently is my goal.
“I’ll keep working here to earn a spot on the national team more frequently. Any boy’s desire is to wear the shirt someday, and I was able to fulfill that dream as a professional player. It truly is the realization of the ultimate dream.
I always have to do the correct thing because I know that there are people who look like me and that occasionally they will replicate what I do. I know it’s a tremendous responsibility. I am aware of how great the obligation is.
Rodrygo is correct; he is all too aware of the influence a hero may have on the future of a budding football player.
There are indications that he is now prepared to emerge from the shadow of his own heroes and establish himself as a legendary figure.
