Richarlison: ‘Neymar Is an Idol of Mine’

 Richarlison has had a mixed start at Goodison Park but promises his red card against Bournemouth was a blip. Photograph: anthonymcardle@me.com/Anthony McArdle via The Guardian Sport
Richarlison has had a mixed start at Goodison Park but promises his red card against Bournemouth was a blip. Photograph: anthonymcardle@me.com/Anthony McArdle via The Guardian Sport
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Richarlison: ‘Neymar Is an Idol of Mine’

 Richarlison has had a mixed start at Goodison Park but promises his red card against Bournemouth was a blip. Photograph: anthonymcardle@me.com/Anthony McArdle via The Guardian Sport
Richarlison has had a mixed start at Goodison Park but promises his red card against Bournemouth was a blip. Photograph: anthonymcardle@me.com/Anthony McArdle via The Guardian Sport

Richarlison was alone in a hotel room in Maryland following an unforgettable full debut for Brazil last week. The two goals the Everton forward scored in a 5-0 defeat of El Salvador were on repeat on his phone. In his possession was the shirt worn at FedExField by Neymar, whose haircuts the 21-year-old imitated as a boy and whose goals he tries to replicate as a man.

“God bless you golden boy,” was the message written on the No 10 jersey from Richarlison’s idol. So much to take in, yet his thoughts drifted from the mementos of a magical night towards a tough childhood in Nova Venécia, and the family and friends who doubted his ability to fulfil a dream.

“After the game I went to my room and reflected on things,” says Richarlison, who has also had quite the impact for Marco Silva’s team since his £40m summer move from Watford. “I watched the goals back and was thinking that three or four years ago I was living in my hometown and now I am playing for Brazil and scoring for the national team.

“I thought about the problems I had growing up, how I prioritised football over school but people were telling me I wouldn’t make it, that it wasn’t possible. The thing is I did make it thanks to my own will and determination and the help of some people I had around me in my hometown.

“Some of my friends said I wouldn’t have a future in football, as did some of my family, but I still believed in the potential I had. My mum would tell me I needed to get a proper job but for me I didn’t want to be anything other than a footballer. That led to some tension and frustration between us. It was something I dreamed of doing and I fought until the very end.”

The tension between Richarlison and his mum, Vera Lucia, is long gone and his family – who were unable to attend his Seleção debut in the United States because of passport issues – plan to be out in force for Brazil’s next international on home soil. On Friday Richarlison was called up for October’s friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Argentina.

“It wasn’t just my mum but other people as well,” he adds of the doubters. “My dad [Antonio Marcus] was the one who registered me in my first school and believed in me more than anyone. I think my dad is the proudest of anyone that I made my debut for Brazil. He and my uncle called me up before the game and said I would score two goals. It was a dream come true and the first goal I scored for Brazil will live with me forever.”

Another lasting impression was made by Neymar, who took Richarlison under his wing during his first international call-up and copied the winger’s “pigeon dance” celebration against El Salvador. For Richarlison, having styled himself on the Paris Saint-Germain forward on and off the pitch for several years, it was another sign for Richarlison that he had arrived.

“Neymar has been an idol of mine since childhood,” the former Fluminense forward admits. “I’ve always tried to mirror myself in the way he plays and I’ve also tried imitating some of his haircuts. When I was 12 or 13 I had the yellow mohican. I didn’t quite pull it off though because I didn’t have the right hair products.

“It would stay up for five minutes and then just flop down, so it didn’t really work. I told him about the haircut during lunchtime one day on international duty. The whole room fell about laughing – they thought it was hilarious.”

Richarlison evidently made a strong impression on Brazil’s captain, whose signed shirt from the El Salvador game will take pride of place at home. He says: “I kept my shirt and boots from that game and am going to get them framed. Neymar gave me his shirt as well. Mine will be framed alongside Neymar’s and I will keep them in a room in my house so people can see them when they come to visit.”

Neymar also features heavily in Richarlison’s pre-match routine of studying clips of famous compatriots. “Whenever we are en route to a game on the bus I am always watching the goals of Ronaldo, Adriano and Neymar to get some inspiration,” he explains. “Then when I am on the pitch I try to replicate what they do.

“I also watch some of my own goals now to see the good things I have done as a player. I have my goals for Brazil on my phone now and on the flight from New York to Liverpool I must have watched them about 50 times.”

Richarlison and his routine will return for Everton at Arsenal on Sunday having served a three-match suspension for a foolish dismissal at Bournemouth almost a month ago.

Silva’s team have not won a Premier League game without their three-goal leading scorer, who could replicate his No 9 role for Brazil at the Emirates Stadium, and the Everton manager received a personal apology from his key summer signing on the Monday after the red card.

“I apologised because it was a tough game and being sent off meant my teammates were left in the lurch,” Richarlison says. “What happened was my decision. I was sent off because of something I did on my own and I know how hard it is for a team to play with just 10 men. I went to see the manager and apologise because he is the boss. It was a strange feeling when I went into the dressing room because I’m not an aggressive player, it’s not what I’m like, and it won’t happen again.

“It has been really hard for me to not be playing. I was in the stadium watching the game on Sunday [the home defeat by West Ham United] and I was watching my team-mates give their all, wishing I could be alongside them doing the same. The red card was an upsetting event for me. I’ve learned from it and I will make sure it won’t happen again.”

The Guardian Sport



African players in Europe: Salah Drives Liverpool Closer to Title

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah (R) scored his Premier League-leading 25th goal of the season in the win over Manchester City - AFP
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah (R) scored his Premier League-leading 25th goal of the season in the win over Manchester City - AFP
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African players in Europe: Salah Drives Liverpool Closer to Title

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah (R) scored his Premier League-leading 25th goal of the season in the win over Manchester City - AFP
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah (R) scored his Premier League-leading 25th goal of the season in the win over Manchester City - AFP

Egypt star Mohamed Salah scored one goal and created the other as Liverpool beat Manchester City 2-0 at the weekend, a win that pushed the Reds ever closer to the Premier League title.

Salah has scored 30 goals in all competitions this season, including nine in his last eight matches for leaders Liverpool.

Here, AFP Sport highlights African headline-makers in the top European leagues:

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

He was the catalyst of a victory that moved the table toppers a giant step closer to the title. Salah netted with a deflected strike from a clever corner routine in the 14th minute. The 32-year-old then showed his strength and desire by getting past City defender Josko Gvardiol before whipping over a cross that Dominik Szoboszlai converted.

BETO (Everton)

The Guinea-Bissau striker reached 10 goals in all competitions this term after scoring in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United. Beto struck for the fifth time in his last five appearances, firing past United goalkeeper Andre Onana in the 19th minute to put Everton ahead. Mali international Abdoulaye Doucoure was the other Everton scorer.

YOANE WISSA, BRYAN MBEUMO (Brentford)

Democratic Republic of Congo forward Wissa put the Bees on course for a 4-0 win at lowly Leicester, while Cameroon forward Mbeumo also scored. Wissa bagged the 17th-minute opener with a close-range finish before Mbeumo scored 10 minutes later with a fine finish. Mbeumo has 15 goals in all competitions this season, and Wissa 13.

ITALY - ADEMOLA LOOKMAN (ATALANTA)

The Nigerian international took his season's Serie A goals tally to 12 after a brace in the 5-0 demolition of Empoli, which kept his third-placed side within three points of leaders Inter Milan. Lookman scored two classy goals, but the forward seemed unconvinced about suggestions his spat with coach Gian Piero Gasperini was over. Gasperini angered Lookman after Tuesday's Champions League elimination by Club Brugge, calling his star attacker the worst penalty taker he had ever seen. Asked by Sky Sport if the row was behind him, Lookman shrugged his shoulders and said "finished?", fuelling rumours of a mid-year exit.

GERMANY - SERHOU GUIRASSY (Borussia Dortmund)

Sizzling Guirassy scored four goals as Borussia demolished Union Berlin 6-0 to keep their slim Bundesliga top-four hopes alive. The Guinea international put Dortmund two goals ahead before half-time through a header. His other three goals -- a left-foot rocket, a tap-in and another header -- came in nine second-half minutes.

AMINE ADLI (Bayer Leverkusen)

Making his first start since fracturing his leg in October, Adli scored and laid on an assist as Leverkusen won 2-0 at Holstein Kiel to keep in touch with leaders Bayern Munich. The Moroccan latched on to an inch-perfect pass and chipped the ball into the net just before half-time.

FRANCE - ACHRAF HAKIMI (Paris Saint-Germain)

The Morocco star, runner-up for the 2024 African footballer of the year prize, is having a tremendous season for PSG and scored twice in the Ligue 1 leaders' 3-2 win at Lyon. It is just the second time he has scored twice in one game for PSG since joining the club from Inter Milan in 2021.

MESCHACK ELIA (Nantes)

The DR Congo winger came off the bench to score a late goal which clinched a precious 3-1 win for struggling Nantes over Lens. It was a first goal for the former TP Mazembe player since joining Nantes from Swiss side Young Boys on loan this month.