I am travelling to the United States this week to watch some of the Seleção’s games at the World Cup. I’ll be continuing my daily treatment to recover from the knee injury I suffered in March and, during this routine, I’ll try to experience the competition in a different way. While Rodrygo, a boy from Osasco [a city in the state of São Paulo], recognises the privilege this represents, Rodrygo the player, who took part in the entire qualifying cycle, the Copa América and other matches, has feelings that are difficult to explain.
Ever since our last World Cup game in 2022, when the Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved my penalty and we were eliminated at the quarter-final stage, returning to the tournament wearing the national team jersey has been a desire that has dominated my thoughts on many nights.
The path we have gone down in these past four years has not been easy. All of us – players, coaches, staff, CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) employees, and, of course, the fans – have faced numerous challenges. So to suffer an injury that ruled me out of the tournament just months before the squad was announced was a huge blow, taking away from me a dream to which I have dedicated my life.
The injury – and learning the extent of it through the scans – brought immense sadness. The week of the actual surgery brought me suffering, sleepless nights, a lot of pain and the urge to vomit and faint. But soon an inner strength came, a certainty that life goes on and that I will recover and continue pursuing my World Cup dream.
Also, one of the worst days of my life transformed into a huge wave of support from so many people. My faith strengthened me too, as did the unconditional presence of my family and the countless messages and conversations with important people in my life. There was incredible support from Real Madrid, calls from the CBF, the national team staff and the players. I am certain I will return stronger, dedicating myself as I have always done to achieve my goals.
Being unable to play during the final part of Real Madrid’s season and not taking part at the World Cup with the Seleção is a feeling impossible to explain. Watching Real Madrid’s crucial matches on TV without being able to step on to the pitch and give my all for the club left a bitter taste. And watching the World Cup squad announcement without the expectation of hearing my name called by Carlo Ancelotti was tough.
On the other hand, the joy I have felt wearing the Real Madrid and Brazil shirts is also pretty impossible to put into words. Even with this setback, I believe I still have incredible experiences ahead of me and that I once again can bring joy to those who support me, whether that is for club or country. I am only 25 years old and still have many important dreams to pursue. And I know that, to do that, I need to be strong, as I’ve always been in other decisive moments of my life.
The Seleção Brasileira is synonymous with pride. I feel proud to be Brazilian and to always support a team that represents our culture as something beautiful, magical, joyful, united and hardworking. Wearing the Seleção Brasileira shirt is a sensation that is difficult to describe.
It’s a pride that comes from the boy in Osasco who wore a replica jersey and dreamed of being a professional player. And a dream, when lived in reality, ends up being shared with everyone who is part of my life and who likes me: family, friends, the team around me, fans and teammates.
My first national team game in a stadium was as a fan, Brazil beating Paraguay in a World Cup qualifier at the Arena Corinthians on 28 March 2017 (goals by Neymar, Coutinho and Marcelo). Previously, we hadn’t been able to afford to go to a national team game. I went with my father and the atmosphere was so special, a different energy, with all the club fans cheering for the same team. It’s a moment when we all share the same colours.
When the time came for me to wear the shirt, I could feel the affection of the fans – and that made me go back in time and remember the sensations I had felt when I watched the team on TV. We always want to see the national team win titles, but I realised that the people’s love for the team doesn’t depend only on that. People want to be a part of it, to receive a wave, a photo, a hug. They want to see the bus passing by and show that they are together. All of Brazil wants the Seleção in their city. I’ve always had a very beautiful reception in Belém, Brasília, Cuiabá, São Paulo, Curitiba, Rio de Janeiro … it doesn’t matter which region it is.
I’m going to the US to follow the team closely and maybe meet my teammates and the staff to bring positive energy. Above all, I am going as a fan of the Brazilian national team. When the game kicks off, I will get nervous, be focused on the game, watching the patterns of play and wanting Brazil to score goals. And, when they score, there will be a mixture of happiness and relief because I know that the whole country expects the Seleção to win the whole tournament.
The World Cup involves much more than just what happens on the pitch. It demands total concentration, daily dedication, collaboration before, during and after games, and support from everyone involved. And I’m sure the Seleção possesses all the elements of this package. Above all, we trust Ancelotti.
The entire football community knows his history of winning titles but I want to emphasise that this group of players can also count on Ancelotti the human being, someone who helped me when I faced enormous challenges and who supported me in the most difficult moments. He’s a special guy. He knows how to lead in the difficult environment of elite football and knows what he is doing in charge of the Seleção. Let the World Cup begin.