Rodrygo opens up on how he rejected Barcelona for Real Madrid

A few eyebrows were raised when Real Madrid forked out €45m for a 17-year-old who had played just 49 senior games. Yet Rodrygo Goes made the move from Santos and it turns out that Los Blancos weren’t the only ones willing to pay that price according to the player.

Speaking to the Jota Jota podcast, Mundo Deportivo picked out a quote in which Rodrygo explained that Barcelona were also in for him.

“I arrived home after a match. I had a shirt from Real Madrid in my house and my father came into the room with that shirt and another one of Barcelona and he said ‘now, choose’. And I chose the Real Madrid one.”

Rodrygo had also detailed how his father had in fact agreed a deal with Barcelona, with only Rodrygo’s signature needed to seal things. Clearly the young Brazilian was clear on where his heart lay.

After a period of adaptation, as is to be expected for such a young player, Rodrygo made a major impact this season in the Champions League.

It’s been a process, but it appears the Real Madrid machine has inculcated him with that winning gene. Rodrygo himself also explained how part of that learning process took place.

“In my debut with Real Madrid, in pre-season, I scored a goal from a free-kick and celebrated. When I got to the dressing room, Marcelo and Nacho said to me: ‘if you’re losing and you celebrate, get the ball and get to the centre circle, you don’t celebrate it.”