Rodrygo challenges Vinicius at Real Madrid

Brazilian star Rodrygo has opted to remain at Real Madrid despite the widespread rumors surrounding his future during the summer transfer window. He confirmed his commitment to continuing his career with the royal club and taking on a new challenge in his seventh season with the team. The 23-year-old is keen to secure a starting spot in coach Xabi Alonso's squad, preferring to play in his preferred position on the left wing, competing directly with his compatriot and friend Vinicius Junior . Last summer saw a period of speculation regarding Rodrygo's future, especially after he was left out of the starting lineup for the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona and missed the remaining La Liga matches, including the decisive El Clásico that clinched the title for the Catalan club. The player also suffered from a lack of playing time in the Club World Cup, starting against Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia and providing an assist, but did not exceed 100 minutes of play in the tournament. This situation has led to numerous reports linking him with a move away from the club, with major European clubs such as Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Arsenal interested . Despite these speculations, Rodrygo made his decision early and decided to remain with Real Madrid, while the club confirmed that it had not received any official offers for the player. Rodrygo himself did not seek a new destination, but rather expressed a clear desire to remain at the Santiago Bernabéu and fight for his place in the starting lineup . During preparations for the new season, Xabi Alonso held several private conversations with Rodrygo, with the player confirming his desire to play in his preferred position on the left wing, a position that allows him greater freedom to dribble, cut inside, and shoot from outside the box—his main strengths. Alonso accepted the player's request and decided to give him the opportunity, but he is fully aware that competition will be fierce with the shining star Vinicius Junior . The relationship between Rodrygo and Vinicius is special off the pitch, as they share a strong friendship and teammates in the Brazilian national team, but they have now become direct rivals within the club for a starting spot in Real Madrid's squad. Alonso sees this competition as a positive thing that pushes the players to perform at their best, something that has already been evident since the start of the season.