Rodrygo Goes took one of the most important steps in his personal journey on Monday. The Real Madrid star touched the ball once again at the Valdebebas training ground, a gesture that seems routine but which counts as a significant event for someone who has been absent from the pitch for more than six months.
This was the final rung on a ladder the Brazilian winger has patiently climbed since last winter, and one that has finally begun to show signs of its conclusion, according to the newspaper "Marca".
Everything turned upside down for the Brazilian on the night of 2 March 2026, in Real Madrid's match against Getafe at the Santiago Bernabeu. The diagnosis was devastating: a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament and the lateral meniscus in his right knee, the most serious injury of his career. It was a crushing blow that kept him away from the pitch for a decisive period of last season and, most cruelly, from the World Cup he had dreamed of playing at with Brazil under Carlo Ancelotti.
Rodrygo underwent surgery on 10 March, beginning a recovery journey estimated to last eight or nine months, one that demanded patience. He has made steady progress since then, aware that rushing such injuries is not a wise choice. The club put in place a carefully devised plan, determined not to speed up the pace of the recovery by even a single day.
His first important milestone came at the start of September, when the Brazilian returned to the pitch to train and do some light running away from the group. He celebrated on social media at the time, writing: "What a wonderful feeling to be back running on the pitch!" It was the enthusiasm of someone who could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Weeks of hard work separate that light running from today's ball training.
Now the ball has returned to his boots, Rodrygo faces the final stage of his recovery, which still stretches between December and January. He has a long road ahead, and this may be the most delicate part: regaining his feel for the game, his full physical fitness, and his complete confidence in the knee that underwent reconstructive surgery.
Ancelotti is following his progress closely. He visited Valdebebas last month to check on Rodrygo and the other Brazilian players, aware that the winger is also a key element in his plans for the Brazil national team.
The worst is over. Rodrygo is slowly approaching a return to a team that has undergone a radical transformation in the meantime. The injury did not only deprive him of playing. He has not yet been able to train under Mourinho, who has never coached Rodrygo while he was fully fit, and who could not even rely on him during pre-season.