Arriving on a free transfer from Real Betis last summer, Argentine midfielder Guido Rodríguez came to east London with a big reputation.
A Copa del Rey winner with Betis, and a two-time Copa América and FIFA World Cup winner with his country, Rodríguez was looking for a new challenge in the Premier League.
And, his while his first steps in a division he had dreamed of playing in since watching his idol Carlos Tévez on TV back in his hometown of Sáenz Peña brought challenges, his debut season at West Ham on the whole has also yielded plenty of personal growth.
“The truth is that it is different to all the leagues I’ve played in before,” Rodríguez explained, during an interview with Latin American broadcaster DSports. “There is an intensity, every league has its own challenges. There’s not so much possession, there are more transitions. Even when you’re winning, you have to keep attacking and going forward. It’s very technical, but also very physical. You run a lot. You have to be attentive and catch that pace.
“Any team can beat anyone. This year there were a lot of results that sometimes are not what you expect. All teams come out to compete and all teams are very tough. So we have to be ready for that against Ipswich in our final game this weekend.
“I really appreciate the challenge and intensity of the Premier League. I think this season has made me grow a lot as a player, as a person, and I’ve learned so many things.”
Among the trials and tribulations he's encountered during his time in Claret and Blue so far, Rodríguez lost his place in the starting line-up in November and also dropped out of the Argentina squad, having featured regularly for La Selección since 2019.
It was a tough stretch for the 31-year-old, who remained committed in training despite limited opportunities under new management.
After just one minute of competitive football since February, Rodríguez made his long-awaited return to the starting XI in West Ham’s 2-0 win away at Manchester United on Sunday 11 May, an emotional moment he later captured on social media.
“Throughout my career, I’ve always been used to playing every game at club level,” he said. “This year I arrived, I started to play, then there were changes at the Club and I was out of the team. I think I spent three months without practically having any minutes. I kept training the same, I kept working hard and then I was given the opportunity to start against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
“After the game I got caught up in the emotions of playing. The Instagram post was really about the dream of ten-year-old Guido, who watched the Premier League at home, watching Carlos Tévez. It was a lot of emotions all at once, lots of accumulated feelings.”
Having backed up a strong showing against the Red Devils by starting a second successive fixture at home to Nottingham Forest last time out, Rodríguez is hoping to sign off for 2024/25 with another positive display on the final day at Portman Road, and continue building momentum into the summer.
“The truth is I was surprised when I arrived with the stature of the Club,” he admitted. “I had been told about West Ham before coming here as I had met [Manuel] Pellegrini and his coaching staff, I also spoke to Pablo Fornals and they all had great things to say about the Club.
“The stadium is spectacular. It’s very nice to play there. The fans make themselves felt, they fill the stadium every game, and when we play away too, you can feel their support. In that sense, it’s very special.
“The season didn’t really go as we had hoped in sporting terms, but the fans have been very respectful. They’ve continued to support us right through to the final game, and for that, I’m really grateful. Hopefully, we can give them a reason to smile at the end of the season this weekend.”
