"Vinicius and Rodrygo are great players," said Marcos Antonio, the Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder who played with both Madrid players in the Brazilian national team's youth teams, told 'EFE'.
"They are young players who have everything to grow. In fact, they have already grown a lot and are two great players," he said in a telephone conversation from Ukraine.
Marcos Antonio, who is the same age as Vinicius Junior, 20, praised both players, whom he considered "very good people".
After almost two years in Ukraine, the player who came up through Athletico Paranaense has established himself as an undisputed starter in the midfield of the Ukrainian champions, with whom he won two leagues and a cup.
Unlike Vinicius and Rodrygo, Marcos Antonio, who played in the U-17 World Cup in India, where Brazil was a semi-finalist, has yet to be called up by the senior national team.