Rodrygo’s discoverer remembers the background of his transfer to Real Madrid and how he ‘introduced’ him to Tite

On the rise at Real Madrid, Rodrygo has been followed by Tite since he turned professional due to a conversation with Jair Ventura

Jair Ventura perhaps he was surprised to be publicly quoted by Tite during the penultimate call of the Brazilian National Team before the World Cup in Qatar. speaking of Rodrygowho is going through a great moment at Real Madrid, who faces Levante this Thursday, Tite He reminded his teammate who now manages Goiás and who was in charge of introducing him to the striker.

“I only have to talk about Jair Ventura. He was the one who made the contact I had possible to talk about all the characteristics and qualities of Rodrygo,” he revealed. Tite.

In an exclusive interview with ESPN, Jair Ventura remembered how that contact with Tite which, indirectly, opened the doors of the national team to Rodrygo. The conversation took place in 2018, when the coach spent a few months at Vila Belmiro and gave the then 17-year-old his longest streak in the first team.

“Tite He called me to talk about another player he had coached. I took the opportunity to talk about Rodrygo, who was a boy from the quarry who was standing out professionally. He asked me how he was Rodrygo and I talked to him about its characteristics”, recalled Jair.

Just over a year later, as a Real Madrid player, Rodrygo was called up for the first time to defend the national team and facing worldRodrygo has great expectations of being part of the group that will seek its sixth world title in qatar.

The moment is the best possible. The current season is the best of Rodrygo in the ‘White House’ in terms of games (45), goals (8) and assists (8). And to think that none of this could have happened if it had not been, in addition to the striker’s obvious talent, for advice from the player himself. Jair Ventura in it Saints.

“In the beginning, Rodrygo played on the left. One day I asked him what his favorite band was, he replied that it was the left. I told him: ‘Let’s say you go to the national team and play Neymar over there. Do you think you’re going to play? We are going to work so that you also play on the right.’

“He is not just a dribbler, as was clear in his first hat-trick with Madrid: he scored a headed goal, one with his left foot and one with his right. That is to say, he is complete. He is different from Vini, who has more strength, longer strides and dribbles. Rodrygo thinks more about the game, he takes a free kick, a corner and has the last pass. In 2018, I said the sky was the limit for his quality.”

Despite his talent on the ball, Rodrygo did not last long in Brazilian football. He was promoted to the first team of the Saints in 2017 and played until mid-2019, when he was transferred to the Merengues for 45 million euros. The sale to Real Madrid, says Jair Venturawas something that the young man had always dreamed of and caused a curious story behind the scenes.

“In 2018 he seemed like an adult. He was very clear about the objective he wanted. When he arrived at a club, I usually do an analysis with all the players and find out what their objectives are. He already had that clear idea of ​​playing in Europe. I asked him: ‘At a specific club?’. He replied: ‘Yes, at Real Madrid.’ It was already a dream of his as a teenager,” says Jair.

“After 22 games, the president of the Saints He called me: ‘We won the Brazil Cup three times’. I replied: ‘President, we are in Libertadores’. The president said: ‘We sold Rodrygo for 45 million euros,'” recalled the current commander of Goiás, who from afar encourages the jewel from Rio de Janeiro.

“He has always been very different and we only had the role of choosing him. I am happy for everything he has achieved.”