Rodrigo: Before signing with Real Madrid, I had almost completed all the procedures for joining Barcelona.

October 7 According to the Ass, Rodrigo was interviewed by Thomas Roncero and talked about his experience in joining Real Madrid.

I heard that in your house, I also treasure a Real Madrid jersey of children. You were wearing this jersey when you were six years old...

This jersey was a gift my father brought to me after visiting Germany with his team. He gave me the jersey after he came back. Since then, I have been closely linked to the (Real Madrid) team, this club and the honors it has won. At that time, there were many Brazilian players in Real Madrid, so I began to pay attention to Real Madrid's games, especially after Ronaldo joined Real Madrid, I would watch every Real Madrid game just to watch him play football. In Brazil, I am a fan of Santos, but I have always liked Real Madrid since I was a child. Joining Real Madrid when I went to Europe was always my dream.

But I heard that you almost went to Barcelona at the beginning. Can you tell me about this?

Before signing with Real Madrid, I almost completed the procedures for joining Barcelona. But my dad told me that Real Madrid contacted us and I had to make a choice. For me, this choice is very simple. I know what I want and what my dream is. I didn't hesitate at all, and then I had the current me.

If your father didn't tell you at that time (Real Madrid's invitation), you are now a Barcelona player! This is simply unimaginable...

(laughs) I was still in Santos at that time and the game started to get better. Barcelona came to me on their own initiative, and I have always said that Barcelona is a great club and I am full of respect for it. But Real Madrid is my dream, so this decision is not difficult at all.

Real Madrid signed you in 2018, and then you were loaned back to Santos for a year. It was not until 2019 that you were 18 years old that you officially joined Real Madrid. But you first made your debut in Castia (Real Madrid B team), and you started playing from the B team. Would you bother?

does not. I still remember playing for Castia in the first game at Valdebebas (Real Madrid Training Base) and I scored a very beautiful goal. As a result, I was sent off with a red card for the celebration. Now I still feel crazy! (Laughs) I know very well that it would be difficult to directly join the first team at that time, so starting from Castia was a good choice for me so that I could adjust my physical condition to the best. For me, it was a great arrangement, and it has benefited me a lot from understanding the foundation of the club from the youth training system.