Tatuí Ambassador: Friends and family tell Rodinei's story of overcoming adversity
Flamengo's right-back is from a small town in the interior of São Paulo
By Ricardo Taves, in Tatuí, SP - in
The contagious joy of Flamengo's right-back Rodinei reflects the personality of a dedicated, hard-working young man who makes a point of instilling optimism and enthusiasm in everyone around him. A native of Tatuí, in the interior of São Paulo, the Flamengo number 2 has a history of overcoming adversity and hard work. At 24, he retains two great prides: his hometown and the "Most Beloved."
There is no video of the flash tv Rodinei doesn't speak fondly of his origins or the privilege of being a Flamengo player. By "putting" Tatuí on the Brazilian football map, the full-back won over a legion of fans with his humor, football, and grit, as well as curiosity. That's why Mengão traveled to the small town of 115 to tell this story.
Grit
The venue is the pitch of XI de Agosto, a local club, the birthplace of the number 2. Adillsinho, Biel, and Baratinha, friends of the winger, who gave him his nickname, proudly and emotionally recall their partner's journey. Rodinei lost his father as soon as he was born. Shortly after, the player's mother passed away. The suffering as a child never ended. At 10, Rodinei lost the grandmother who had raised him until then. Living with uncles and aunts, he grew up surrounded by friends, always on the right path.
"Rodinei could have chosen the wrong path, but he always made a point of not only choosing good paths, but also infecting his friends. He always invited me to church on Fridays. He would always sleep over at my house or at my cousins'," Adilsinho says proudly.
Video: Rodinei, Ambassador of Tatuí
Good student and "friend of the jaguar"
Smiles, camaraderie, and playfulness have always been part of Rodinei's life. Baratinha, a close friend, reveals that in school, the winger would always turn in classmates who "cut class" when he couldn't, but that he was spared on the occasions when he went to the court to play soccer instead of paying attention to his subjects. Even so, focused and a good student, Rodinei continued on to the end and graduated from high school. Afterwards, he pursued his dream: playing soccer professionally.
Family
Rodinei is adored by his wife's family. Naturally, he gave everyone a nickname, including his in-laws, Fábio and Vanessa, whom he calls "Fabunxo" and "Vanessão." He arrived quietly in the family, still struggling to become a successful footballer at the time. Fábio, his father-in-law, reveals that his son-in-law is a troublemaker and doesn't "forgive" anyone.
"Messy! At the end of the year, we went to a farm and while everyone was asleep he put makeup and toothpaste on everyone. But that's who he is, humility personified," he highlights.
Solidarity and humility
Farid, a friend of the family and the athlete, reveals aspects of Rodinei that are imaginable, but still unknown. At the end of the year (pictured above), the fullback organized a soccer match in the city and collected 600 kg of food. He also makes a point of serving everyone when he's in Tatuí.
"For the people of Tatuí, it's a source of pride to have Rodinei at Flamengo. He brings the city's name to everyone. When he's here, he treats everyone with humility and attention," he says.
The "revenge" of nicknames
To ensure Rodinei wouldn't get away with it, his friends revealed some of his nicknames: "Cinnamon Gray" is everyone's favorite. Finally, Adilsino reveals: "I had a bunch of boils on my legs," he says, laughing.
Rodinei and the entire Flamengo team continue preparing to face Vitória and Palmeiras in the Brasileirão. Flamengo faces the Bahian team on Thursday at 21 pm in Volta Redonda. The match against the São Paulo team takes place on Sunday at 16 pm at Mané Garrincha in Brasília.
There is no video of the flash tv Rodinei doesn't speak fondly of his origins or the privilege of being a Flamengo player. By "putting" Tatuí on the Brazilian football map, the full-back won over a legion of fans with his humor, football, and grit, as well as curiosity. That's why Mengão traveled to the small town of 115 to tell this story.
Grit
The venue is the pitch of XI de Agosto, a local club, the birthplace of the number 2. Adillsinho, Biel, and Baratinha, friends of the winger, who gave him his nickname, proudly and emotionally recall their partner's journey. Rodinei lost his father as soon as he was born. Shortly after, the player's mother passed away. The suffering as a child never ended. At 10, Rodinei lost the grandmother who had raised him until then. Living with uncles and aunts, he grew up surrounded by friends, always on the right path.
"Rodinei could have chosen the wrong path, but he always made a point of not only choosing good paths, but also infecting his friends. He always invited me to church on Fridays. He would always sleep over at my house or at my cousins'," Adilsinho says proudly.
Video: Rodinei, Ambassador of Tatuí
Good student and "friend of the jaguar"
Smiles, camaraderie, and playfulness have always been part of Rodinei's life. Baratinha, a close friend, reveals that in school, the winger would always turn in classmates who "cut class" when he couldn't, but that he was spared on the occasions when he went to the court to play soccer instead of paying attention to his subjects. Even so, focused and a good student, Rodinei continued on to the end and graduated from high school. Afterwards, he pursued his dream: playing soccer professionally.
Family
Rodinei is adored by his wife's family. Naturally, he gave everyone a nickname, including his in-laws, Fábio and Vanessa, whom he calls "Fabunxo" and "Vanessão." He arrived quietly in the family, still struggling to become a successful footballer at the time. Fábio, his father-in-law, reveals that his son-in-law is a troublemaker and doesn't "forgive" anyone.
"Messy! At the end of the year, we went to a farm and while everyone was asleep he put makeup and toothpaste on everyone. But that's who he is, humility personified," he highlights.
Solidarity and humility
Farid, a friend of the family and the athlete, reveals aspects of Rodinei that are imaginable, but still unknown. At the end of the year (pictured above), the fullback organized a soccer match in the city and collected 600 kg of food. He also makes a point of serving everyone when he's in Tatuí.
"For the people of Tatuí, it's a source of pride to have Rodinei at Flamengo. He brings the city's name to everyone. When he's here, he treats everyone with humility and attention," he says.
The "revenge" of nicknames
To ensure Rodinei wouldn't get away with it, his friends revealed some of his nicknames: "Cinnamon Gray" is everyone's favorite. Finally, Adilsino reveals: "I had a bunch of boils on my legs," he says, laughing.
Rodinei and the entire Flamengo team continue preparing to face Vitória and Palmeiras in the Brasileirão. Flamengo faces the Bahian team on Thursday at 21 pm in Volta Redonda. The match against the São Paulo team takes place on Sunday at 16 pm at Mané Garrincha in Brasília.