2023-12-16 12:19:37
Although Riquelme was in a difficult stage, the club counted on him to carry out the preseason with the first team in the 2019/20 season. After a very hard year with Youth A, The youth player considered leaving football because he no longer enjoyed it. “I was coming from a somewhat complicated year. It came from Youth A, I sat in the living room with my father and told him that I no longer had fun playing football and that I wanted to quit. “My father was surprised.”he explained in an interview with Radio Brand. However, fate had a surprise prepared for young Rodrigo: “Pedro Pablo (delegate) sent me a message two days later telling me that he wanted me to do the preseason with them. I screamed with joy, but at that moment I was not well”he pointed.
Despite the doubts that the young footballer had, someone decided to intervene and advise him, something that Rodrigo will surely thank him for today: “My father told me: go there, it will be an experience in your life, meet your idols and if in the end you don’t want to continue playing football, then talk to the club”. having paid attention to him has allowed Riquelme to enjoy for the first time in his career to be with him first team y get to know your idols a little more.
September 1, 2019, marked in Roro’s heart
On September 1, 2019, Rodrigo Riquelme debuted with the first team on matchday 3 of the league championship against Eibar. With the number 32 on his back, the Madrid native enjoyed his first minutes as a professional at the time. Wanda Metropolitano, mattress fiefdom. “The day I debuted was amazing for me”Riquelme said to Radio Marca.
Riquelme in his debut with the first team / Atleti
Unfortunately for Riquelme, those would be his first and last minutes of the season 2019/20 with the first team. The youth player He would play the rest of the season between Atleti B and Atlético sub-19, with the reserve team being the team with which he played the most games. With the Athletes B, Roro would score 5 goals in 22 games, and with the U-19 he would score two goals in the seven games he played in the UEFA Youth League. At the end of the season, Rodrigo Riquelme he would go out on loan in search of fortune far from the Metropolitan.
Riquelme, transferred to England
The young youth squad would go out on loan to the recently relegated Bournemouth to try his luck in the Championshipbeing quite a challenge for the Madrid native.
Riquelme in his presentation with Bournemouth / AFCBournemouth
A very special Halloween
Riquelme would score his first goal as a professional In England on October 31, 2020 before him Derby County, in a match that would end in a draw (1-1).
Riquelme celebrating his goal with Bournemouth / X
However, Riquelme would be able to convert only two pointsone in the Championship and another in the FA Cup. In an attempt to seek his fortune, Roro never found his gamefruit of the few minutes he received, and said goodbye to his adventure in England with the beautiful memory of having scored his first goal as a professionalbut also with the thorn of not having found the key to give the best of himself in a Bournemouth that needed him.
The English team would end year in sixth place on the table, refused to play another year in the silver category of English football. However, England’s physical football luxury wine to the Madrid native to mature, therefore, accustomed to Spanish football, He left Bournemouth with a very different idea of football.
Back to Spain
Rodrigo I would try my luck again in Spainbut this time in the Second division. The team to which he would be loaned would be Mirandes.
Riquelme in his presentation with Mirandés / CD Mirandés
Unleashed in Second
The Spanish would stand out with the red teamequipment with which He played 39 games in totalof which 23 would be starting in the initial 11. Riquelme made Anduva fall in love with his 7 goals and 12 assists in domestic competition and another goal in the Copa del Rey.
Finally with minutes, the colchonero youth player He found his game and finally managed to show glimpses of what he is capable of demonstrating.. Having passed through England suited him like a glove to show his football more versatile and skilled than the one he had shown so far.
Source: CD Mirandés
As a reward, the good ‘Roro’ returns to Prhyme
His anthological time at Mirandés served to Rodrigo Riquelme returned to play in the highest category of Spanish football. However, it would not be to play with Atlético, but to leave on loan to
A team of First division.
‘brain’ election to Girona like the team destined to make him great, and that is The maturity of the Madrid native helped him stand out in Montilivi.
Riquelme in his presentation with Girona / Girona FC
Riquelme’s definitive explosion
His tough but profitable time in England, added to his exhibition at the Mirandés, were the stages prior to the definitive explosion of the red-and-white youth squad. with a football very physical, full of dribbling and play constructionRiquelme It was Girona’s best card of the season. Rodrigo He starred in exhibitions such as his great goal for the squad against the Real societyshowing his side more aggressive as a soccer player.
Riquelme celebrates a goal with Girona / Girona FC
The Madrid native he destroyed everything that was put in front of him as if it were a whirlwind, and that is, with its 626 passesof which four they were goal assists and its 58 dribblesRiquelme It was the maximum offensive reference of the Catalan team. Also, ‘Roro’ He contributed with five goals scored.
WHAT CRAZY!
What a work of art by Riquelme. #LaLiga #LaCasaDelFútbol pic.twitter.com/4uCpIDh7Q0— Football in Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarFutbol) October 2, 2022
Riquelme finally fulfills the dream he had been pursuing for so long
After four years of waiting, which is said to be soon, good old ‘Roro’ can finally say that he is an Atleti player with a first team record. After playing the preseason under Diego Pablo Simeone, Riquelme would be part of the team that would fight to win titles in the 2023/24 season.
A difficult start
Despite managing to be part of the first team, Riquelme had a really hard time getting minutes. After the spectacular state of form of Samuel Linus, Riquelme hardly had any opportunities to show that he was not there by luck. However, the injury to his teammate would allow him to demonstrate the quality that he possesses.
A lucky break
Lino’s injury It was a relief for the Madrid nativewhich allowed him be one of the highlights of the rojiblancos.
@Atleti an X
Lying down to the band, Roro became a dagger that grew exponentially.
Riquelme would continue making history in his sporting career, and would also debut in European competition on matchday 1 against Lazio.
Riquelme, in a Champions League match / @Atleti in X
To date, the Madrid He has played 12 games in the league, six of them startingin which He has scored two goals and provided an assist. In the Champions League, he has not scored goals or provided any assists, but His great game on matchday 5 against Feyenoord allowed him to win the award as MVP of the match.
Riquelme with his first MVP in the Champions League / @Atleti in X
Rodrigo has grown exponentially and all this It is due to the effort expended during these four years, getting better notably season after season, but it’s not over yet.
Riquelme, called up with the senior team
Riquelme’s career has reached its climax this season. After its exhibition during the absence of Samuel Linus, In addition to finding a place in Simeone’s scheme, Luis de la Fuente called him to play the last two days of the Euro Cup qualifier.
During his stay with the national team, ‘Roro’ was able to dedicate a few words expressing his happiness at being summoned for the first time in his career with the absolute team. “Hopefully it will be the first of many”he said in the post-match after making his debut against Cyprus.
Riquelme in his debut as a player for the senior team / @rororiquelme10 in X
Who knows what would have happened if Riquelme had not listened to his father and had left football. Fate will know, but what we all know is that Listening to him has allowed him to live the dream he had been pursuing for so long.
#rise #Riquelme #VAVEL #Spain