Rodrygo seeks title in Qatar for the team his generation has never seen

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At 21, Rodrygo is part of a generation that has never experienced the thrill of seeing Brazil win a World Cup.

Some of his friends weren’t even born. Others, like the Real Madrid forward himself, were too young to remember their last title, in 2002. The São Paulo player was only one year and five months old when Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and the rest of Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men won the title. penta.

“I don’t have good memories [da Copa]”, lamented the player to Sheet. “Except for the first one, when I was a newborn, in 2002, when we won, then Brazil lost them all.”

For years, the youngster could only cultivate the desire to have a moment of ecstasy with the team at a World Cup. Now, he wants more. His biggest dream is to compete in the next edition of the competition and help end the fast.

On Friday (9), the athlete was again present in the squad of coach Tite. For him, it was as great an emotion as the first time he was called up by the coach, in 2019. Now, however, the weight is different.

It was the captain’s last call before the call-up for the World Cup in Qatar, a tournament that will take place between November and December. Therefore, being on the coach’s radar at this moment considerably increases the chances of the youngster being part of the Brazilian delegation in the Middle East.

“I’m happy with the possibility,” he said. “I know that if I keep focused and working, it’s the only way for this call to happen.”

The group summoned will now play two friendlies, against Ghana and Tunisia, on the 23rd and 27th, in France. There will be two more clashes in which Rodrygo will be able to prove a quality that coach Tite usually points out in him: “game intelligence”.

Last season, that skill was crucial for Real Madrid to win the Champions League. He appeared in 11 games and scored five goals, two of them against Manchester City, in the second game of the semi-final, when he lived his moment of greatest glory at the club.

The Brazilian came off the bench to score twice at the very end of the duel at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, in the 45th and 46th minutes of the second half, forcing extra time. According to the competition’s official website, a player had never scored more than one goal after the 45th minute in a knockout game.

In extra time, Rodrygo took part in the bid in which Benzema was awarded a penalty. The Frenchman himself went for the kick and converted it. Real won 3-1 and advanced to the decision, in which they defeated Liverpool.

For coach Carlo Ancelotti, the former Santos player gained the maturity he needed last season to take a bigger step in his career. And justified the investment made by the Spanish club, which paid 45 million euros (R$ 195 million, at the time price) to get him out of Santos in 2018.

“His apprenticeship is over. He is a Real Madrid player for all intents and purposes”, praised the captain. “He’s a special striker, he can play in all positions. He’s fast, smart off the ball, effective in one-on-one plays.”

The Italian coach is often revered for his ability to work with young people. Brazilian Kaká, for example, claims that Ancelotti was the best coach he was directed by. It was on the coach’s recommendation that he was bought by Milan, in 2003, when he left São Paulo.

Under the European’s direction, the Brazilian lived the peak of his career, was elected the best in the world in 2007 and collected titles such as the Champions League and the Club World Cup.

Rodrygo also values ​​the experience with Italian.

“First, Ancelotti is a guy that I admire a lot for the respect with which he treats everyone. It’s a pleasure to work with him and be shaped by him. All the teachings, everything he gives me, whether offensive or defensive instructions, is what can I take to the World Cup.”

Ready to serve the Brazilian team at the Worlds, he now just needs to control his anxiety until Tite releases the final list. “I’m always very nervous [com as convocações]. In the call-up of the Cup, I will be even more nervous.”

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