Real Madrid player Rodrygo calls Neymar his idol and inspiration, calling him “a teacher”

Neymar Jr. was a teenager playing for Santos FC in Brazil, but despite the Paris Saint-Germain star being 30 years old, he’s an idol for players in their late teens and early 20s, with Real Madrid’s Rodrygo being one of them.Rodrygo reveals he turned down Barcelona before joining Real Madrid

Rodrygo, who also came up through Santos FC in São Paulo, stated that he considers Neymar his idol and that the veteran forward recently gave him sound advice after Brazil lost 1-0 to Cameroon in the final group-stage fixture.Rodrygo - latest news, breaking stories and comment - The Independent

“Neymar gave me so much confidence before the match: he wanted to show me his support,” Rodrygo told La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t GOAL Italy). “He’s a teacher and he’s my idol; it’s an honor for me to play with him.

“At the end of the match, he complimented me and told me to continue like this, despite the defeat. He told me not to think about what happened with Cameroon, to leave it behind me and look forward.”Your shine bothers them' - Neymar sends Rodrygo message of support as Real  Madrid forward reveals he suffered racist abuse after Brazil's defeat to  Argentina | Goal.com UK

Brazil faces off against South Korea in the Round of 16 and who is coming off a win over Portugal, so the Asian country heads into the matchup with confidence. Nonetheless, the CONMEBOL side is the favorite, but as this World Cup has shown, that can mean little to nothing.That will make him stronger' - Luka Modric backs Real Madrid teammate  Rodrygo after penalty miss for Brazil just like his at Euro 2008 | talkSPORT

Additionally, the Seleção will hope to have Neymar back ready and healthy for their Monday matchup since the team failed to convince without the PSG star out of the lineup due to an injured ankle.