Ex-Corinthians star watched 2025 Paulistão final with son at Arena

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Central do Timão

·1 de noviembre de 2025

Ex-Corinthians star watched 2025 Paulistão final with son at Arena

By Fabio Luigi / Central do Timão Editorial Team

The former midfielder Rodriguinho, who played for Corinthians between mid-2013 and 2018, gave an exclusive interview to ge.globo and revealed that he watched the final of the 2025 São Paulo Championship against arch-rival Palmeiras from the stands of the Neo Química Arena alongside his son.

“I was going to do an action with Fernando (Wanner) with São Jorge. I arrived a little late, but we enjoyed it a lot. I took my son for the first time to see it, and he really liked it; we even saw Hugo save a penalty,” he began.

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Photo: Daniel Augusto Jr/Agência Corinthians

Later, he recalled his beginnings at the Parque São Jorge club until he became affectionately known by the Corinthians fans as “Reidriguinho,” especially for being decisive in the classics against São Paulo rivals – particularly against Palmeiras.

Rodriguinho joined Corinthians towards the end of the 2013 season and initially did not have many opportunities at the club. Later, he was loaned to Grêmio for a season, until he returned to the Alvinegro in 2015, being part of the national champion squad that year. In 2016, however, he began to establish himself at the club and became one of the team's main pillars.

“Many times, it's better not to think too much about it (bad and good phases), so things don't get out of control or you don't become too self-assured. During my playing time, I tried to take everything naturally, day by day, maintaining the work sequence and not letting things go to my head. I know it's difficult, I also went through tough times at Corinthians.”

“That's why I always thought I couldn't get complacent: I needed to keep proving my worth all the time. Only after I stopped playing did I really understand this and could enjoy it differently,” he continued.

Finally, he revealed missing the field and analyzed the difficult moment Corinthians has been going through in recent seasons in all areas, especially financially, which ends up reflecting in the results on the pitch.

“I really miss playing. So many years of history, the thrill of stepping onto the field, the good pressure, scoring a goal at the Arena with the fans cheering. These are moments that, even away from home, we feel and cheer together. “It's hard to compete with great squads. It might be necessary to further strengthen the squad. Of course, there are many players, but more depth is needed, especially to withstand the entire season and compete in all competitions — Paulista, Brasileiro, and Copa do Brasil.”

“Many times, it will be necessary to prioritize one of them, and the Copa do Brasil deserves attention as it is an opportunity to win another national title. At the same time, you can't neglect the Brasileiro to avoid the risk of relegation. The size of the squad is crucial: with a large group, it's possible to make changes without losing quality. Moreover, administrative management also counts: if there are no signings, how to strengthen the team? Off-field issues can end up affecting the players' performance, influencing results, and increasing pressure on the field,” he concluded.

In total, there were 175 games with the Corinthians jersey (151 as a starter), with 88 wins, 49 draws, and 38 losses – almost 60% success rate. Additionally, he scored 35 goals and provided 35 assists. With the Alvinegro, he won: São Paulo Championship (2017 and 2018) and Brazilian Championship (2015 and 2017).

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