Xtra Time Web Desk : Real Madrid’s Rodrygo turned messiah for his team in the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg clash against Manchester City on Wednesday night. The 21 year old Brazilian scored a brace in the dying minutes of the match to help Real stage an incredible comeback from the jaws of defeat to march into the final.
Who is this new ‘Messiah’ of Real Madrid ? Often termed as a ‘flop’ signing by a section of the fans, Rodrygo was signed by the Los Blancos at the age of 17 from Santos in the 2019-20 season as they failed to sign their first priority target in Kylian Mbappe.
While many expected him to play for the Real Madrid Castilla, it was their then manager Zinedine Zidane, who spotted Rodrygo as he caught the attention of the former world cup winning footballer by his sheer footballing talent and gave him the chance to play for the club’s first team, which the 21 year old repaid by scoring a debut goal within 93 seconds of coming on against Osasuna.
Rodrygo’s journey to the top had huge struggles, which the 21 year old had to overcome. Born in January 2001, the Brazilian forward was born in a lower middle class family. His father played in the lower division leagues in Brazil.
Being admitted at the Santos academy at the age of 10, the Brazilian winger made his Santos debut at just the age of 16 before moving on to the Spanish champions after playing 41 matches for the club.