Rodrygo's agent: There's a kid at Santos who's going to be a star

Rodrygo Goes exploded on to the scene as a Real Madrid player with a hat-trick and an assist against Galatasaray in the Champions League.

The 18-year-old's journey to the top has been a gradual one, but his talent was clear right from a young age.

"There's a kid at Santos who's going to be a star," Nick Arcuri, Rodrygo's agent since he was 11, told Real Madrid head of international football Juni Calafat in 2014.

Creating the player

Rodrygo is a quiet kid on and off the pitch. He has a Brazilian girlfriend and lives with his parents - Eric, 35 years old, and Denise - in the outskirts of Madrid. He also lives with his close friend, Joao. 

These surroundings have protected him for several years and he has people to do certain things: his father covers the sport and his agent covers the commercial side, allowing Rodrygo to focus on his football.

Careful exposure

Real Madrid have decided to look after him, limiting his public appearances, which is sensible for a player of his age. On the commercial side, Nike signed him up aged 12 and they try not to push him into the spotlight too much.

A loan? No thanks

A loan away from Real Madrid this summer was never an option. They wanted him to stay and develop at Valdebebas. Those plans have accelerated after the injuries to Marco Asensio, Gareth Bale and the drop in form of Vinicius Junior have handed him an opportunity and he's taken it.

Home-training-home

Rodrygo has a driver's licence but prefers not to drive unless he needs to. His father - a former footballer himself and humble, educated man - takes him to training instead.

Preparing for the journey

Those around Rodrygo are very professional. His agent sped up his move to Real Madrid despite having to take care of his other clients which include Real Sociedad's Willian Jose. He and his father have been learning Spanish since June 2018, when he signed for Los Blancos. Everything is planned, except what happens on the pitch.

What happened on Wednesday?

"He surprises us, but he was made for this," said someone close to the Brazilian after the game against Galatasaray. "His mind is prepared and he will continue his work calmly." His hobbies are PlayStation and basketball.

Clear values

Clear and family values off the pitch have helped Rodrygo succeed on it so far, but there's still a long way to go.