LALIGA
Rodrygo, best young player in LaLiga
Real Madrid’s ‘other’ Brazilian takes the U23 award after his last two performances in which he has four goals and three assists.
The work, ultimately, brings its reward. Vinicius Jr may have been taking many of the headlines when it comes to Brazilians at Real Madrid, but his attacking partner Rodrygo Goes has been named the Best Under-23 Player of LaLiga EA Sports for November. During this period, the 22-year-old has scored four goals and provided three assists to help Los Blancos regain top spot over surprise package Girona. In Madrid’s victory over Valencia (5-1), the Osasco native scored two goals and provided two assists to his compatriot Vini, while against Cádiz, he once again scored a brace and provided another assist, this time to new club hero Jude Bellingham, sealing the Englishman’s goal to conclude the match.
Rodrygo Goes above others
With these performances, Rodrygo, who has returned to his best form after being the scorer of Real Madrid’s first league goal in the current season (achieved at San Mamés against Athletic Club), becomes the third player from the Madrid team to string together two matches in LaLiga EA Sports, participating in at least three goals in a single season in the 21st century, following Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuaín. The Brazilian secures this accolade by prevailing over other players such as Nico Williams (Athletic), Alberto Moleiro (Las Palmas), Savinho (Girona), and Chadi Riad (Real Betis).
So far, Rodrygo has been unquestionable for manager Carlo Ancelotti: he has played in all 14 league matches and the five Champions League matches contested to date, amassing eight goals and five assists in 1,369 minutes across both competitions. Following Vinicius’s injury while on international duty with the Brazilian national team (the Brazilian suffered an injury in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Colombia on Colombian soil), he was called upon to take a step forward in Madrid’s attack, a responsibility he has shouldered alongside teammates like Bellingham and Brahim.
Against Napoli, he had to withdraw before the scheduled time due to a cramp that struck him while attempting a counterattack. The Brazilian dropped to the ground and requested a substitution, but based on the initial impressions and the player’s own statements, there is no danger of him missing the match against Granada. Subsequently, there will be a week to rest, as the Whites will not play in the league again until the following Saturday, the 9th, against Betis at the Benito Villamarín.
By then, Ancelotti will assess whether he has been able to recover any of his outfield players.