The talented winger would be a star player for most teams, but he's stuck out of position for Carlo Ancelotti's title-chasing side
Jude Bellingham was the first to say what most people might not have known: in terms of raw talent, Rodrygo is the best player in Real Madrid's ranks. Not Vinicius Jr, Ballon d'Or snub and all. Not Luka Modric, 39, who is still routinely running midfields despite his aging legs. Not Kylian Mbappe, PSG's all-time record goalscorer. And not Bellingham himself, who seems to do everything for this Madrid team.
Nope, according to the England midfielder, who was speaking after the Champions League knockout triumph over Manchester City, Rodrygo takes that particular crown.
"He's so underrated. For me, Rodrygo is probably the most talented and gifted player in the Real Madrid squad. The things he can do with a football," Bellingham said, before trailing off.
The Brazilian is a curious player, always used out of position, yet willing to do a job for his side. Most footballers who make personal sacrifices are the reliable sort of utility men who can plug holes everywhere, however, this is no James Milner. Rodrygo is, by most measures – as well as the pure eye test – a world class talent. And despite his importance to Madrid, especially on the big nights, it would seem a waste for such an immensely gifted footballer to spend his career doing the dirty work out of position. A move away might be best.
AFPOut of position
The first thing worth establishing here is that no one seems to know what Rodrygo's best position is. That's because he's never really had the opportunity to play there. Vinicius Jr is always going to be Madrid's left winger. Even when he's not there, Mbappe will float out to the left. In fact, the worst thing Rodrygo can do is drift to the opposite side of the pitch – to do that would cram spaces and limit room for others.
Instead, for Madrid, he stays wide on the right. He routinely touches the ball less than Vinicius, Bellingham and Mbappe. His biggest impact on important nights is his willingness to track back and be positionally intelligent off the ball – allowing Los Blancos to defend in a 4-4-2 shape. Their right flank is made significantly less vulnerable due to his work.
Rodrygo has insisted, for his part, that his best position is as a second striker of sorts. He spent brief periods playing just off Karim Benzema when the Frenchman was at the end of his Madrid career. Rodrygo told GOAL then that such a position is where he can bring the most to the team.
"With the 4-2-3-1, behind [Benzema] is the position that I like the most and everyone knows this. I always talk about it with the coach. Of course, I can play in all positions, but that's where it's where I feel more comfortable when it comes to playing," he said.
He has seldom been afforded that opportunity since. Dorival Jr. has used him as a No.9 for Brazil – before pushing him out to a similar right wing spot he regularly occupies for Madrid. A Vinicius-Endrick-Rodrygo attacking trio may yet be deadly at the 2026 World Cup, but that, too, would force Rodrygo to operate outside of his best position.
AdvertisementAFPShowing up when it matters most
This is all such a waste, not least because of Rodrygo's quality when he has the ball. So far this season his numbers make for positive reading. He has scored 10 and assisted eight across La Liga and the Champions League this term, averaging 0.67 goals and assists per 90 minutes. He finished last season with 18 goals and eight assists in all competitions.
There are a lot of things to like when watching this Madrid team. There are Vinicius's tricks, stepovers and cuts. There are Mbappe's changes of direction and darts in behind. There is Bellingham's twists, turns and passing range. Rodrygo, too, adds value. He is a nifty dribbler, the ball always glued to his feet. Like any classic winger, he can go left or right, and has a final product about him when he gets into his spot. He is also an underrated finisher who has consistently shown up in big moments. His brace carried Los Blancos past Chelsea in the 2023 Champions League knockouts. He was immense against Bayern Munich in the 2024 Champions League semi-final. He grabbed an assist against Man City in last week's knockout tie.
Ancelotti has highlighted a number of games in which Rodrygo has "made the difference" for Los Blancos. He really should be regarded as a key player.
Getty Images SportUnderappreciated and underused
But for this team, he somehow remains underappreciated. Ancelotti has something of a tactical conundrum on his hands at Madrid. Getting Vinicius, Mbappe, Rodrygo and Bellingham into the same team is often difficult. His consistent solution? Bench Rodrygo. Despite remaining relatively healthy throughout the campaign, the Brazilian has played only the eighth-most minutes in the squad. He has started 17 games, three fewer than Bellingham and seven fewer than Federico Valverde. It is not an uncommon sight to see him staring from the bench while the bigger names strut their stuff on the pitch.
"He's the one who sacrifices the most. I think it's clear that his favourite position is the left. But he does a lot for the team on the right side," Bellingham recently said.
It is, in some ways, easy to see why Rodrygo might be the odd man out here. Vinicius and Mbappe are Ballon d'Or contenders, and three of the top five footballers in the world. Bellingham is probably the most valuable player to this team. Rodrygo is excellent in his own right, but doesn't quite stand out like the other three. The result is a footballer left out by process of elimination, and often neglected by the wider consciousness.
Getty Images SportOne of the world's best
This is all a real shame, because Rodrygo, if handed the reins to a team, could be a world class, game-changing player. He was omitted from the Ballon d'Or shortlist last year, something he took to social media to complain about. There are very few in the world with his raw quality or talent on the ball. It helps, too, that his preferred position is one of relative scarcity outside of Madrid.
There are plenty of excellent right wingers and strikers in world football, but left-sided players are harder to come by. The list of the elite there is short, the likes of Nico Williams, Luis Diaz and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia highlighting the list. And although those three are excellent in their own right – and vital to their respective clubs – Rodrygo's talent level is simply higher.
It would not be an immense surprise to see the Brazilian score 20 and assist 10 in a top league. A major injury to Vinicius or Mbappe would hurt, but might not be so keenly felt with Rodrygo able to deputise. Peer at the list of the best wingers in world football, and there are flaws to be found. Diaz's work-rate and dribbling is immense, but his finishing can be poor. Williams is as good as one-on-one players come, but his positional sense and defensive discipline are lacking. Kvaratskhelia's final ball has eluded him after an excellent year at Napoli in the 2022-23 campaign. Rodrygo offers all of those things.
