As the Brazilian national team intensely prepares for the World Cup qualifiers, the multi-talented Rodrigo spoke exclusively with ESPN, sharing his thoughts on Neymar, his personal position and the team's choice of center forward, while revealing an interesting story with his teammate Ndrique.
On Neymar's absence and return
Rodrigo expressed his deep concern over Neymar's absence, saying bluntly, "Neymar's absence has had a huge impact on us, he is the soul and leader of the Brazilian team. Everyone can see the change in our team when he is on the field. He is our star, our best player. I hope he will recover from his injury and come back to us soon." Meanwhile, Rodrigo also revealed the deep friendship between him and Neymar, saying that the two often send messages to each other to encourage each other. Regarding the external criticism of Neymar, Rodrigo stood firmly on Neymar's side, saying that he is a very good person who not only idolizes himself in soccer, but is also impeccable in his personal qualities.
Explore the best position for you
Talking about his position on the field, Rodrigo showed great team spirit and flexibility. He said that he often needs to fill the team's vacancies in various positions, whether it is right winger, center forward or any other position, he will not hesitate to step up whenever the team needs him. However, Rodrigo also admits that his favorite way of playing is to have more freedom, roaming around the midfield and looking for opportunities to attack. He believes that this way of playing can maximize his characteristics and make a greater contribution to the team.
Looking ahead to the team's center options and future
Rodrigo expressed full confidence in his team's choice of centers. He believes that the Brazilian team has many excellent center forward players, such as João Pedro and Ndrick. They each have different characteristics and advantages, and can provide different help to the team in the game. Rodrigo mentioned Endrick in particular, saying that he has been well received at Real Madrid and has integrated into the team. He also revealed an interesting detail that Endrick is now fondly referred to as "Bobby", as he has stated that Bobby Charlton is one of his favorite players. Rodrigo said that the nickname has become a bit of a joke within the team and that Endrick accepts it with open arms.
Finally, Rodrigo emphasized that what the team needs at the moment is a bit of luck and constant self-improvement. He believes that as long as the Brazilian team stays united and works hard, they will be able to achieve better results in future matches.
