Fulham forward Rodrigo Muniz has opened up about the emotional and physical adversity he faced during a testing previous campaign, revealing that his wife suffered a miscarriage. The 25-year-old Brazilian spoke out after coming off the bench to secure a point for the Cottagers, netting a late equaliser in Saturday's 1-1 draw against struggling Newcastle United.
The crucial strike marked Muniz's first league goal since Fulham's opening top-flight fixture of last season, a year heavily disrupted by medical setbacks and personal heartbreak. In addition to his family's loss, the striker was sidelined from November until early February after undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury. With his wife now expecting once again, Muniz dedicated his Newcastle goal to their baby.
Reflecting on that trying period, Muniz said: "Last season was really difficult for me because, now I can say it, but I had the surgery. My wife was pregnant last season and, unfortunately, we lost the baby, but God is good all the time and now she's pregnant again. The goal was for my baby, and I hope this season will be different than last season." His goalscoring touch has also been on display in cup competitions this term, having found the net during Carabao Cup victories against AFC Wimbledon and West Ham.
Since completing his move from Flamengo in 2021, Muniz has registered 19 goals and three assists in 86 Premier League outings for the London club. However, all eight of his top-flight appearances under manager Alvaro Arbeloa this season have come as a substitute, and the forward is eager to earn a greater role. "I train hard every week to get opportunities to play and I want to play more," Muniz added. "I cannot control the gaffer, but I showed the gaffer I want to play more. I have to keep training hard, for him to say, 'OK, now is your time', and then I'm ready."
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