Rodrygo Goes Plays Down Talk of Vinicius Jr. Rivalry: 'He Has Helped Me a Lot'
Real Madrid youngster Rodrygo Goes has said there's no rivalry between himself and compatriot Vinicius Jr. at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Brazilian wingers arrived at Los Blancos in big-money transfers the last two summers, respectively, with each player tipped to have a bright future in the game.
With the likes of Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale and Lucas Vazquez available to manager Zinedine Zidane, getting regular minutes in the first team will be challenging for both players this term.
Rodrygo has said Vinicius has been a big help for him since arriving in the Spanish capital in the summer, per Intensive Esporte (h/t Virtudes Sanchez of Marca).
"Vinicius and I support each other, we're friends and team-mates and will continue to be," said the 18-year-old. "He has helped me a lot because he arrived a year before me in Madrid. There are also comparisons between players from Brazil, but we never do that ourselves; we will continue to support one another."
Rodrygo made his first start for the club in the UEFA Champions League win over Galatasaray and didn't look out of place in a high-pressure environment. The Football Talent Scout provided the numbers behind his first outing:
In La Liga, he's already been able to show what he's capable of, scoring this fine goal on his debut for Madrid:
As relayed by The Spanish Football Podcast, the indications are that Rodrygo will be back in the XI on Wednesday, when Los Blancos host Leganes at the Santiago Bernabeu:
While he's been involved in the senior setup frequently of late, the Brazilian also said he'd be happy to drop back into the Real Madrid Castilla team if that's what Zidane thought was best for him.
"I'm a club worker; if they need me in the first team then I'll be there," he said. "... I am fulfilling a dream being here, and if it's necessary, despite me having scored and also debuted in the Champions League, I will return to Castilla with no problems."
Having Vinicius around the squad will be a help for Rodrygo, and it will be intriguing to track the development of the pair in the coming years.
Per Kiyan Sobhani of Managing Madrid, in addition to their ability, both Brazilians have shown a willingness to work hard off the ball:
If they can mesh their natural flair with defensive diligence, Zidane will have both involved in the squad frequently. Already, both players have shown they're capable of influencing games in La Liga and have seemingly earned the manager's trust.
Rodrygo appears set for another chance on Wednesday, and the speed at which he's established himself as part of the first-team squad is impressive for a player so young. It appears Vinicius should take some of the credit for the way in which he's acclimatised.
