The wide man has been denied the switch most assumed he would get, and has fallen out of the picture for the Selecao
Carlo Ancelotti told Rodrygo to call him if he had any questions. It was the day after the Brazil squad for the Selecao's pair of World Cup qualifiers had been released, and the winger's name wasn't on the list. He wasn't the only omission - Vinicius Jr. also didn't make the cut. But journalists seized onto Rodrygo's absence. It made sense, too. You could argue that Vinicius needed a rest. Rodrygo, meanwhile, needed to play.
But Ancelotti rebuffed queries from expectant reporters, and remarked: "I haven’t spoken to Rodrygo. If he wants explanations, he can call me. He knows how to reach me."
It rather summed up what has been a curious few months for the immense talent. Rodrygo, just a year ago, was viewed as an indispensable part of the Madrid side. Sure, he wasn't an ideal fit on the right wing, but his talents couldn't be overlooked. But in the last six months, his promising career has rather stalled.
First omitted by Ancelotti, then linked with a move away, and now having to stay and settle for back-up minutes for Madrid, the Brazilian is, in effect, caught in footballing purgatory. And it's impossible to predict what, exactly, comes next.