- Long before becoming a standout performer and key figure at Bolívar, Patricio Rodríguez came to understand that happiness in football was rooted in something much simpler: enjoying the game.
- Patito, who found his place in the world with the La Paz-based club, is eager to wear the sky-blue shirt in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Round of 16.
The talented Argentine, who came through the ranks at Independiente, has enjoyed a career rich in experiences and, at 36, looks back on it with pride. He made his debut at 17 for one of the continent’s most historic clubs; three years later, he lifted the CONMEBOL Sudamericana; he played alongside Neymar at Santos; represented clubs across four different continents; and today, having settled at Bolívar since the beginning of 2022, he is enjoying life and the privilege of playing for a team that has embraced him as though it were his first home.
‘La Academia’ will play the second leg of their CONMEBOL Sudamericana Round of 16 Playoffs against Grêmio in Porto Alegre next Thursday, July 30. In the first leg, a 3-2 Bolívar victory at the Hernando Siles in La Paz, Rodríguez was instrumental: for the second time in the last 18 months, ‘Patito’ recorded five or more shots, chances created and successful dribbles in the same match — a feat achieved by only two other players across the continent during that period.
In addition to setting up Uruguayan striker Martín Cauteruccio for the opening goal, the versatile attacker showcased the most authentic side of his game: his dribbling, his trickery and that elusive, unpredictable logic of his in a sport that is becoming increasingly physical.
In an interview with CONMEBOL in early 2025, Patricio Rodríguez looked back on his beginnings at the ‘Rey de Copas’. “When Kun Agüero left, the media needed someone to take his place and give the fans renewed hope, and that person was me. So, in my head, I created a list of goals I felt I had to achieve: make my debut, score goals and win an international trophy, among other things,” he recalled.
“Over time, I started achieving those goals and eventually realized that they were not really my own desires or dreams, but rather other people’s expectations. Everything that came afterwards, and all the paths I chose, stemmed from that,” he added. Beyond playing alongside Neymar at Santos, Rodríguez had spells with Estudiantes de La Plata, Malaysia’s Johor DT, Greece’s AEK Athens, Australia’s Newcastle United Jets and Portugal’s Moreirense before joining Jorge Wilstermann in Bolivia, the club that would ultimately pave the way for his move to Bolívar.
“Today, I think I suffered through that period much more than I enjoyed it. Still, I recognize everything I was able to achieve and everything Independiente gave me, at a club where I was immensely happy,” he said.
The bond between Bolívar and ‘Patito’ Rodríguez now stretches back more than four years. With ‘El Celeste’, he was part of the club’s best-ever CONMEBOL Libertadores campaign, reaching the quarter-finals in 2023. Now, the CONMEBOL Sudamericana has him playing a prominent role in a competition in which Bolívar will look to keep moving forward and extend a journey that has proved both rewarding and enjoyable.
As Rodríguez himself acknowledged, ultimately the key is never to lose sight of what matters most: “playing football and enjoying the game.”
