Over the following seasons, he established himself as a prominent member in Real Madrid's squad, helping the club win two La Liga–Champions League doubles in 2022 and 2024.

Born in Osasco, São Paulo, Rodrygo joined Santos' youth setup in 2011 at the age of ten, initially assigned to the futsal team.

[11] Rodrygo made his first team – and Série A – debut on 4 November 2017, coming on as a late substitute for Bruno Henrique in a 3–1 home win against Atlético Mineiro.

[13] Rodrygo made his Copa Libertadores debut on 1 March 2018, replacing Eduardo Sasha in a 2–0 away loss against Real Garcilaso; aged 17 years and 50 days, he became the youngest player of Santos to appear in the competition.

[25] He scored his first hat-trick, and gave an assist for the club on 6 November, aged 18 years and 301 days old, against Galatasaray in a 6–0 win in the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League season.

[34] On 18 April 2023, he scored a brace in a 2–0 away victory over Chelsea in the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg, which secured his team's qualification to the semi-finals by winning 4–0 on aggregate.

[40] On 7 March 2018, Rodrygo and Santos teammate Yuri Alberto were called up to the under-20s,[41] but both were cut from the squad six days later after a request from his club's president.

[42] In November 2019, Rodrygo was called up for the first time to the Brazil senior team, for the Superclásico de las Américas against rivals Argentina in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

He has also been noted for his decision-making, offensive positioning, finishing, link-up play, and creativity, which allows him to hold-up the ball and create space or chances for his teammates, in addition to scoring goals himself.

Under Carlo Ancelotti, he has been deployed as a winger, second striker, and even in central attacking roles, showcasing his ability to fill multiple tactical needs.

The initiative, part of the "Everything is going to be fine" campaign, involved auctioning personalized items—including Nike sneakers, a jacket, a ball, and a painting—to support affected children.

Reflecting on his involvement, Rodrygo stated, "Football is a tool that allows us not only to amplify the values of sport, but also to offer an opportunity to those people who need support.