Rodrigo Caio

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Coquette and the second or paternal family name is Russo.

Rodrigo Caio Coquette Russo (born 17 August 1993), known as Rodrigo Caio, is a Brazilian football coach and former player who played as a centre-back. He is the current assistant coach of Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Flamengo.

Rodrigo Caio

Rodrigo Caio at the 2016 Olympics
Personal information
Full name	Rodrigo Caio Coquette Russo[1]
Date of birth	(1993-08-17) 17 August 1993 (age 31)[1]
Place of birth	Dracena, Brazil
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Flamengo (assistant)
Youth career
2005–2013	São Paulo
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011–2018	São Paulo	212	(11)
2019–2023	Flamengo	110	(3)
2024	Grêmio	5	(0)
Total		327	(14)
International career‡
2012	Brazil U20	4	(1)
2014	Brazil U21	5	(2)
2015–2016	Brazil U23	6	(1)
2016–2020	Brazil	5	(0)
Managerial career
2025–	Flamengo (assistant)
Medal record Olympic Games 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 December 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 October 2020

Player career

São Paulo

Rodrigo Caio playing for São Paulo in 2017.

Born in Dracena, São Paulo, Rodrigo Caio is a product of São Paulo FC's academy and started his career as a defensive midfielder. In 2012, in a 3–2 win against Santos FC in the State League, he played as right back, with the responsibility of marking Neymar. After the game, Caio was praised by press for his success in holding down the santista forward. He executed the movimento do escorpião (In English, Scorpion Movement), a well known move in indoor soccer, to prevent some dribbles and shots from Neymar.^[2]

In 2013, with Paulo Miranda and Edson Silva injured, Rodrigo Caio started playing as a centre back. After good performances, he was praised by coach Paulo Autuori who highlighted his contribution to São Paulo's defense. Caio continued to perform so well that Antônio Carlos, hired by the club in the middle of the Brazilian League season, was mostly confined to the substitutes' bench.^[3]

On 2 August 2014, Rodrigo Caio damaged his anterior cruciate ligament, going on to miss a further several months.^[4] He returned to the field on 16 March 2015.

On 12 June 2015, it was reported that Rodrigo Caio signed a five-year contract with La Liga side Valencia CF, for a €12.5 million fee plus four million more in add-ons.^[5] On 29 June 2015, the transfer to Valencia collapsed after the player failed two medicals.^[6]

Flamengo

On 29 December 2018, Rodrigo Caio joined Flamengo on a contract running until 2023.^[7] Flamengo agreed to pay €5 million for 45% of his economic rights from São Paulo, the transfer includes an achievement clause in the next two years that allows the purchase of 30% of his rights for another €2 million.^[8]

A regular starter in his first years, Rodrigo Caio struggled severely with injuries from 2021 onwards, and left the club in December 2023, as his contract was due to expire.^[9]

Grêmio

On 3 June 2024, after spending the first half of the season without a club, Rodrigo Caio signed a short-term deal with Grêmio.^[10] He left the club in December, after having appeared in just five matches.^[11]

Post-playing career

On 13 May 2025, Rodrigo Caio returned to Flamengo after being named Filipe Luís' assistant coach.^[12]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 5 December 2024.^[13]

Club	Season	League			State League		Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
São Paulo	2011	Série A	8	0	—		—		—		—		8	0
	2012		7	0	9[a]	0	3	0	1[b]	0	—		20	0
	2013		36	3	11[a]	1	0	0	8[c]	0	3[d]	0	58	4
	2014		8	0	13[a]	1	4	0	—		—		25	1
	2015		24	1	4[a]	0	5	0	3[e]	0	—		36	1
	2016		20	1	12[a]	2	1	0	13[e]	0	—		46	4
	2017		33	0	11[a]	1	6	0	2[b]	0	—		52	1
	2018		6	0	10[a]	1	6	1	1[b]	0	—		23	2
	Total		142	5	70	6	25	1	28	0	3	0	268	13
Flamengo	2019	Série A	29	2	12[f]	1	4	0	12[e]	1	2[g]	0	59	4
	2020		20	0	7[f]	0	0	0	3[e]	0	2[h]	0	32	0
	2021		19	0	4[f]	0	4	0	5[e]	1	1[i]	0	33	1
	2022		8	0	0[f]	0	2	0	2[e]	0	—		12	0
	2023		5	0	6[f]	0	0	0	2[e]	0	—		13	0
	Total		81	2	29	1	10	0	24	2	5	0	149	5
Grêmio	2024	Série A	5	0	—		0	0	—		—		5	0
Career Total			228	7	99	7	35	1	52	2	8	0	422	18

1. Appearance(s) in Campeonato Paulista.
2. Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana.
3. Three appearances in Copa Libertadores, Five appearances in Copa Sudamericana.
4. Two appearances in Recopa Sudamericana, one appearance in J.League Cup / Copa Sudamericana Championship.
5. Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores.
6. Appearance(s) in Campeonato Carioca.
7. Appearance(s) in FIFA Club World Cup.
8. One appearance in Recopa Sudamericana, one appearance in Supercopa do Brasil.
9. Appearance(s) in Supercopa do Brasil.

International

As of match played 13 October 2020.^[13]

Brazil
Year	Apps	Goals
2016	1	0
2017	3	0
2020	1	0
Total	5	0

Honours

Club

São Paulo

• Copa Sudamericana: 2012

Flamengo

• Copa Libertadores: 2019,^[14] 2022
• Recopa Sudamericana: 2020^[15]
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2019, 2020
• Copa do Brasil: 2022
• Supercopa do Brasil: 2020, 2021^[16]
• Campeonato Carioca: 2019, 2020, 2021

International

Brazil

• Olympic Gold Medal: 2016

Brazil U20

• Toulon Tournament: 2014

Individual

• Toulon Tournament Golden Ball: 2014
• South American Team of the Year: 2019
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Team of the Year: 2019^[17]
• Campeonato Carioca Team of the Year: 2019, 2020^[18]