Rodrygo: “I saw that being sad wasn't helping me and the goals started coming”

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Real Madrid returns to the Champions League tonight in Leipzig, where they will play the first leg of the round of 16 (9:00 p.m., Movistar).

They arrive at their favorite competition with the wind behind them after defeating the second team in the League, in a match in which, after another brief period of drought, Rodrygo Goes scored again.

Like the club, the Brazilian, who at 23 years old has finally settled into the eleven, also maintains a special connection with the tournament in which he has scored 0.66 goals per game, compared to 0.28 in the domestic championship, in which, despite the interruptions, is registering its best campaign (0.43).

Rodrygo moves around the residence in the sports city of Valdebebas, where the interview takes place, with the ease of someone who has grown up there.

If he plays tonight, he will reach 200 games with a Madrid shirt.

Ask.

Do you remember your first day here?

Answer.

On my first day I was a little embarrassed to arrive here, with so many great players.

The coach was Zidane.

And when I saw Zidane the first time, the truth is that I was scared.

But it was a very nice moment, and then I spoke with him.

That day was a dream for me.

Q.

After all this time, if you could say something to that Rodrygo, what would it be?

A.

I would tell you that this time was worth it, because I learned many things.

Today I am completely different.

I have learned from many players, both the oldest and the youngest.

It's this: the time was worth it.

Q.

How is it so different?

A.

I look different in everything.

Mentally, I think I'm more mature, I have a stronger mentality.

Because I have learned from many players here.

I think that on a technical level I am also better, because I have always trained with the best.

Q.

This season you have gone through a dry period in which you went 11 games without scoring.

What effect does that have on a striker?

A.

I was angry, because I tried to score goals in every way, and it didn't work out.

In those moments, you try to be calm, because people tell you: “Stay calm, and then it will come out again.”

But you see that you are trying game by game and things don't work out, and you get a little sad, a little angry.

But there came a time when I saw that it didn't help me to be angry, to be sad.

I had to be more focused, train more, be calmer in the games, and from there the goals started coming.

More information

Rodrygo Goes, streaks and alpha brain waves

Q.

Who helped you?

A.

I always say that Luka Modric has been a father to me.

He always helped me in these moments.

He was talking to me.

He told me: “Don't worry, you're very good, things are going to turn out well.”

And from there I started to feel calmer and things went better for me.

Q.

How important is the mental aspect in football?

A.

It was something I learned when I arrived here.

I had a head and now I think totally differently, because my colleagues helped me, my family helped me, my friends help me.

Now I see that the most important thing of all is the head.

If you keep a calm head, if you think good things, good things will come out in the games.

Q.

How has having to play in several positions influenced your performance?

A.

It is a bit difficult to always be changing, but I have always told the coach that I was at his disposal, that I was going to play wherever he wanted.

And I think that's why it's my fault: I said that he could play as a 9, as a 10, on the wings.

That's why he always puts me where he needs me.

I sacrifice myself for the team.

The most important thing is that the team wins the games.

In this part of the season I sacrificed a little, playing out of position for the team.

And it was important, because the team was winning, it did not lose almost any game.

Afterwards, better, because I started scoring goals.

But this part of the season he was just helping the team.

Q.

If you were to place the players, where would they be?

R.

Now I don't know [laughs], it doesn't matter... But I think that the right or the left is where it works best for me.

Q.

Another difficult moment in your last months was the penalty you missed in the World Cup in the tiebreaker against Croatia.

How do you remember it?

A.

I think it was the worst moment of my career up to this point.

And I hope it's the worst, that I don't have another one.

It was difficult, because before I used to take penalties here when Karim wasn't there, and I scored them all.

I went to the World Cup calm, sure that I was going to score, and I failed.

But it is a part of my story so that later the story will be more beautiful.

I am sure that I will take other penalties again and score again as I did before.

That was just a slip.

Q.

How do you prepare for penalties?

A.

The coaching staff always passes us: this goalkeeper always throws himself this way or that way.

But the truth is that it's not worth much [laughs].

In the game everything changes.

Sometimes we are mentally prepared, I am going to shoot to the right, and then, when you shoot, you have shot to the left and you don't know how.

It changes everything in the game.

We can prepare, but that's another thing.

Q.

Is the decision when you have left the ball on the spot?

A.

When you start running and… I don't know.

I think only after throwing [laughs]

Q.

Do you look at the goalkeeper?

A.

I try to look a little before shooting, but it's difficult.

Rodrygo, in the Real Madrid sports city in Valdebebas.Álvaro García

Q.

That drought ended against Braga in a Champions League match, with which you have something special.

In the last one they won, he was fundamental in the comebacks.

Have you seen much of the volley goal against Chelsea, for example?

A.

Yes, because they are always showing it on Real Madrid TV.

The truth is that I didn't think much.

I saw the ball coming and hit it first.

I didn't have much to think about.

It was a very important moment in my career.

The game against City too.

I think it's good for me to see the goals, to see the plays I make well, and then try to make them again.

Q.

Was the moment of the game against City more difficult?

A.

The truth is that if you watch the game against Chelsea... Against City we could... I don't know... we were attacking a little more.

Against Chelsea we were very bad.

They attacked a lot, they defended very well.

We weren't doing anything.

The moment was a little more difficult against Chelsea.

But, of course, against City it was crazy, it was special.

I have no way to explain it.

Q.

Did you still trust?

A.

Players like Luka Modric, like Toni [Kroos], they are always calm.

But in the game against City I don't think they even had much confidence.

We were already dead, no one else believed we could come back.

I saw that we were all down and I thought: “Well, now I can put my name in the history of this club.”

And it turned out well for me.

I think God prepared this moment, and it was very important for me.

Q.

After those goals that took you to the final, you almost didn't play in it.

Did Carlo forget?

A.

I didn't let him forget about me.

I went there and told him: “Well, mister, I have to play, huh.”

And he: “Calm down, now we just need to defend.”

And I: “But I defend too.

After the semi-final, I have to play a little bit, right?”

And he: “No, no, calm down, you're going to play, you're going to play.”

And then he put me a little bit at the end.

Q.

Being in the spotlight has also sometimes placed you, like some other footballers, in the target of racist attacks.

How do you handle it?

A.

It is happening many times.

Not only with me.

He happened with Vini, he happened with other players too.

We are in a very sad moment: we still have people like this... I try not to look at the networks, but it is normal for me to see something.

But I have a calm head.

I think the other players do too, and I'm sure we'll get through it.

Q.

Do you feel the responsibility to help from the position you have?

A.

That's what I'm trying to do.

I know that with Instagram we can reach many people.

We have many followers.

Something we put there can change many things.

Whenever I can I try to put something forward if a situation happens, I try to give my support.

A.

On his networks we have also seen photos with his two children.

Has being a father changed you?

Q.

It changes everything.

It is a love different from the one you feel for anyone else.

My father always told me that and I didn't understand.

And now that I'm a father, I understand what he was telling me.

They are very special moments whenever I am with them.

They are moments that I will always keep in my memory, and I want time not to pass so I can always be there with them.

I have no words to describe this.

Q.

If you weren't so well known, what would you like to do?

A.

It's not that they don't let me do things... Walk normally.

Because they are going to ask me for photos.

Although I always like to serve all people.

But those normal things: going out to eat quietly with the family, walking normally down the street without photos.

Sometimes I just want to feel normal.

Since a lot of people come, I think: “I'm different, it seems like I'm something else.”

And not.

Just that: be like them, normal.

Q.

He has a Bible verse from the prophet Isaiah tattooed on his right arm.

“Do not be afraid, for I am with you;

do not be discouraged, for I am your God.

I will give you strength and help you, I will support you with my victorious right hand.”

What does it mean to you?

A.

It was my first tattoo.

These are words that my father always told me: Isaiah, 41:10.

I carry it for my life, to know that God is always with me, to not be afraid in any situation, to know that God is with me in everything that happens, that he holds my hand.

So I can look at it and know that God is with me.

Q.

Is that trust in God important?

A.

It is the most important thing in my life, the most important thing, knowing that God is with me, trusting him, that is the most important thing.

Q.

And the last one that has been done?

R.

I think it was this [shows left arm], the Champions League.

Let's see if I can do more.

I don't know if my father is going to leave me.

Q.

Do you have to negotiate with him when he wants to get new tattoos?

A.

Yes, yes, I have to negotiate, because he didn't like it very much.

The first one was a little difficult.

Afterwards he liked me, but now let's see if I can... I have his name here [on the left arm], and my mother's.

Now I have to do more, take care of my children, do many things...

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