Rodrigo thought this was a normal pre-match interview…
But @andrinhopereira and @willianborges88 had a surprise. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/J6aVbRR8eM
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) April 12, 2024
Muniz became Fulham’s first Premier League Player of the Month in 14 years.
Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz burst into tears after accepting the Premier League Player of the Month award from teammates Willian and Andreas Pereira.
The 22-year-old was rewarded after scoring four goals in as many appearances for the Cottagers in March.
Muniz is the first Fulham player to win the award since goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer in 2010, while Louis Saha previously won it as a Cottager in August 2001.
He couldn’t suppress his emotions as he received his trophy on Friday, admitting, “I don’t know what to say,” in a beautiful moment with two of his Brazilian colleagues.
The striker has been a revelation in the second part of the season, after struggling to find a spot in Marco Silva’s squad and failing to score before February. Since then, the 22-year-old has scored eight goals, notably against Aston Villa and Tottenham.
His brace against Ange Postecoglou’s squad last month propelled Fulham to a surprise 3-0 win over their London rivals, who are closing in on a Champions League qualification berth.
Muniz beat out Alexis Mac Allister, Cole Palmer, Son Heung-min, Alexander Isak, Ben White, and Antoine Semenyo.
Muniz’s success suggests he could make a late push for Brazil’s Copa America squad this summer. He has yet to represent his country at any level, although he is now vying for the title of highest-scoring Brazilian in the Premier League this season.
Richarlison of Tottenham presently leads the way with ten, followed by Wolves’ Mathias Cunha and Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz, both of whom have nine.
In other news, Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has been named Manager of the Month in recognition of his team’s unbeaten streak.
To finish the month, the Cherries won two consecutive games against Everton and Luton, after winning away to Burnley and drawing 2-2 with Sheffield United.
Muniz’s rise in recent months is even the more surprising given his poor start in England after joining from Flamengo in 2021.
He scored five goals in 25 Championship outings for the west London club before being loaned back to Middlesbrough, despite Fulham’s promotion.
Muniz only scored two goals in 17 appearances, and he appears to be heading for more short-term periods away from the club, if not a permanent exit.
Instead, he has filled the void left by Aleksandar Mitrovic and replaced Raul Jimenez in the starting lineup, with Fulham currently 13th and far clear of the relegation zone.
