AS: Rodrygo has no place at Real Madrid

One of the key takeaways from the Club World Cup in Madrid—beyond the economic boost ($75 million isn’t something you earn every month) and the discovery that the 3-5-2 system fits the team perfectly—is the growing certainty that Rodrygo no longer has a place in the squad.

Xabi Alonso’s decisions made that clear: after starting him in the first match, he relegated him to minor roles for the rest of the tournament. The writing is on the wall.

One of the final nails came in the form of Gonzalo—initially expected to be little more than a roster filler—who ended up becoming a genuine attacking threat. He’s now staying with the first team and will compete with Mbappé and Vinicius for starting roles, assuming the coach dares to rotate them, of course.

Rodrygo, good guy that he is, shouldn’t be caught in that kind of fight. To bench Mbappé or Vinicius, you need a thick skin and real audacity. You have to outperform them in training, sit on the bench with fire in your gut, and be ready to face the cold stares when you’re subbed in ahead of one of them. You need a bit of bite and a lot of hunger—qualities that make it easier for a coach to gamble on you and rest a superstar for a game.

The summer transfer window is long, but Rodrygo’s agents should already be scouring the Premier League for a better fit. He’s a smart, technically gifted player with a nose for goal—he’d slot into almost any attack with ease. He also has a rare trait newcomers appreciate: humility, the kind that will stop him from bragging about the trophies he’s won at Madrid.

His future lies elsewhere. He needs to recognize that—and step out from under the long shadows of Mbappé and Vinicius.