No fool will ever forget the ‘R’ again.
Often overlooked, Rodrygo Goes is an exceptional talent, who deserves far more praise. Here, we take a look at what has contributed to his recent form, and why ignoring Rodrygo is a big mistake.
For some unknown reason, sports fans have an obsession with grouping their best players in threes, even if it doesn’t really make sense. There’s the front 3 or the midfield 3 in football, and the big 3 in basketball, and this idea of three special players leading a special team is as old as can be. Maybe it’s because a trident sounds cooler than a fork or whatever a two-pronged utensil is called (a carving fork as it turns out), but fans and the media almost always tend to group players together in threes. 11 years ago, at Madrid, there was the famed BBC of Bale, Benzema and Cristiano, even though di Maria was as integral to the attack as anyone. A few years after that, people still clung on to the idea of the front three even though Isco had largely displaced Gareth Bale and there was a front two and a midfield 4. Even in this, the fans and the media clamored about the famed KCM midfield trio of Kroos, Casemiro, and Modrić, even though Isco was just as important for the midfield. Regardless of whether the team has a front 2 or 3, or the midfield is a 4-man unit or a 3-man unit, the pervasive idea is that 3 special players are the core, even if it’s not true.
And this almost instinctual tendency to group players in threes has come to the fore once again, and with unforeseen consequences. When Kylian Mbappé joined Real Madrid, everyone scrambled to christen the new attack of the “Galacticos 3.0”. Everyone knows old habits die hard, even when the habit makes no sense whatsoever, and the media chose Vinícius, Mbappé, and Bellingham as the new superstar trio, omitting a certain Brazilian. Firstly, this made little sense as Bellingham is a midfielder. He may have truly exceptional scoring skills for one, but he is a midfielder through and through. And secondly, ignoring Rodrygo was a fool’s act. Rodrygo formed the natural three with Viní and Mbappé, and his omission was simply a blatant disrespect of an incredibly talented and important attacker. The media could’ve simply christened them a fantastic four, but the obsession with trios creeped in and put them in a stranglehold, and it was up to the players themselves to come out and remind everyone that Rodrygo is here, and only fools forget about him. It was Jude Bellingham who first said, “only fools forget the ‘R’”.
The Englishman couldn’t have been more right. With 10 goals and 6 assists for club so far, including 12 G/A in his last 9 games, Rodrygo has been on fire this season. Anyone who has followed Rodrygo for a good while will know that he is a supremely talented attacker and easily one of the best wingers in the world. Even when forced to play out of position on the right, Rodrygo has adapted his game to the best of his abilities. Whether staying very wide and stretching the play, or moving inside or even to the left to combine, Rodrygo is an exceptionally intelligent player who moves and adjusts based on his teammates. Maybe the best attacker in the team in terms of close control and the ability to wiggle through multiple challenges in nearly no space, Rodrygo’s dribbling, combined with his high IQ in regards to when to pass and what space to attack makes him both a fantastic creator and scorer.
At the start of the season, Rodrygo’s form was patchy, with his output suffering as a result. However, in the last 2 months or so, something has clicked. Maybe it’s down to the attack being overall more fluid, or maybe it was a simple mental issue, Rodrygo has truly exploded. A great brace yesterday against Salzburg, which showcased exactly what he offers the team, Rodrygo is showing that he is not simply another attacker, but a superstar who should be seen in the same light as any one of his peers. His first goal, a great run into the right channel and a smart finish, showed his scoring instincts. The second one was a product of pure genius. Combining with Bellingham, who produced his own piece of magic with a scrumptious backheel, Rodrygo curled in an absolute beauty from the edge of the box, in the left half-space. This goal encapsulated everything Rodrygo is about. Despite both Viní and Mbappé playing, Rodrygo, based on the situation moved to the left, played a fantastic 1-2 with Bellingham in tight space, and then placed himself perfectly at the edge of the box, and placed his shot perfectly in the far corner.
His other goals in recent games have also shown how well-rounded his skillset is. Against Barcelona, he had an absolute peach of a free-kick, while against Sevilla he had a fantastic finish off of a low cross, a finish made possible by a smart run towards the near post, cutting across the pitch from the left-side. Against Las Palmas, he halted his run slightly in the left-channel to receive a cut back from Fran Garcia, while against Mallorca he made a straight run to the far post on the left side to score from a cross. Exceptional movement combined with great finishing. A more instinctual scorer than Viní, and a more natural creator than Mbappé, Rodrygo has a unique set of skills that help him be a natural playmaker with the scoring instinct of a striker. Vinícius is the dynamo, a relentless force that never stops, Mbappé is the killer, one of the greatest scorers ever, and Rodrygo is the wizard. A magical dribbler, who can find his way through seemingly impossible situations, a highly intelligent player who always knows who to combine with and what space to attack, Rodrygo is both a playmaker and goal threat depending on what the game asks of him.
As touched upon before, Rodrygo’s form could be down to both his efforts and a more fluid attack, the latter of which also shows how special of a player he is. Real Madrid’s attack during the first half of the season was largely clunky. The attackers switched positions and were fluid, but it didn’t seem natural. It was almost as though they took turns in occupying the left, and often got their spacing completely wrong. In recent games, things have improved quite a bit. The switching seems more natural, the players know which spaces are empty and need to be occupied, and they seem to have an unspoken understanding of how to move as a unit. As the attack has gotten more fluid with a better understanding of the individual pieces, it has allowed Rodrygo’s talents to shine through. A cohesive attack means an intelligent player like Rodrygo has a better set-up to work with, and that has gone a long way in helping his output rise.
After yesterday’s game against Salzburg, Rodrygo himself stated that the media has tried to cause issues between him, Jude, Mbappé and Viní, but the reality is that the four get along great on and off the field. Carlo Ancelotti also stated that Rodrygo is untouchable in the team. And this status has been more than earned. A run of fine performances, with a lot of defensive effort as well, Rodrygo has cemented his status as an undisputed starter and as one of the best attackers in the world. The ‘R’ is here to stay, and only a fool would forget that.