We often forget that behind the masquerade of entertainers, our weekend solace, and the little athletes dancing on our screens, these football players we so adore and dedicate the state of our mental well-being for an entire year to, are, in fact, people of flesh and bone like you and me.
We often forget that they are humans before professionals and that both these lives they live, despite being so distant, are entirely connected. The outcome of one overshadows the work in another, and you can toss it around either way.
Rodrygo was having a tough time last season, especially the second half after January. He was clearly not what he used to be. His form dipped and his work rate was awful. Criticism from fans was expected; I was part of the group. I even vouched for his sale. And it was a significant proposal to make after everything he had done and achieved for Real Madrid.
But this season, under Xabi Alonso, the Brazilian is finally coming back. He’s found the track he had so long lost, and all fans are delighted at that spectacle. The man who rescued so many Champions League nights, the man who used to be reliable always, is back being himself on the pitch.
Xabi Alonso has Carlo Ancelotti to thank for reviving star player's belief
But what he was going through is also a reality of its own that we cannot ignore. In a chat with Diario AS, Rodrygo opened up about the slump we all witnessed.
“The truth is that I had a very difficult time on a personal level. I’d been there a long time without talking to people. No one knew what was going on. It was a very difficult time. I was not physically or mentally well. That was costing me a lot. First God, then my family... and Mr. Ancelotti helped me get out of it all."
"Carlo helped me a lot. He saw every day that I was not well, that I was not to play, that I could not help the team. But there was no time to recover because we played every three days and then you can’t stop to fix the problem. He saw that I am a person and had real problems. He understood my moment and my complicated situation."
"He said, ‘You stay here calm, you’re not here to play now.’ I thanked him and asked him to play. But he knew he had to get the person back before the footballer. The important thing was to be all right in the head. It was a very difficult time in my life, but now I’ve overcome everything, I’m OK. Whenever I can, I thank Carletto, his son Davide, and the coaching staff. Everyone helped me, and of course, my family. Now I just feel joy, I’m happy, very motivated to make a great season.”
Carlo Ancelotti, too, was criticised his way out of Real Madrid, but this contribution alone, other than what he has already won, deserves separate praise.
From his early days, we know that Ancelotti is a man-manager. He manages men before he manages players. During the star-studded squad of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Gareth Bale, Sergio Ramos, and James Rodriguez, not a single speck of dressing room tension sparked, and I believe a lot of flowers for that go to Ancelotti.
Rodrygo, as he revealed, was going through a tough time in his personal life, which, after God and his own family, Ancelotti helped him overcome. The Italian manager cared about the situation and the player and gave him the requisite time to settle in. That is rare.
Xabi Alonso was always mentioning that Rodrygo is in the plans, and I think Carlo Ancelotti must be thanked for enabling him to believe such. Rodrygo’s situation was entirely tense. As I said, he was on the verge of a move abroad.
Despite not having scored in La Liga so far, Rodrygo has managed six appearances in eight games, maintaining a passing accuracy of 95 percent on average. But this is not the time I’m going to put this in numbers. Despite not scoring, I think Rodrygo looks happy on the pitch again. Most importantly, he is loyal to the club.
The goals and assists will soon follow, there’s no doubt about it, but having him enjoy himself was crucial, and Ancelotti has enabled that. He looks more explosive than ever, often confuses and toys with defenders ahead of him, and is finally starting to look like a legitimate threat from his side. That is good progress.
Moving forward, Xabi Alonso must work closely with the winger to ensure a proper comeback. Vinícius Júnior has commenced the revival of his form, so we might not see Rodrygo on the left wing anymore, but his contribution from the right has also been decent so far. Now we are to see how well this turnaround is orchestrated.