Richarlison at FIFA World Cup 2022: Top facts about Brazil's star forward
After making history at the Tokyo Olympics, the attacker has already made an impact at the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 with three goals for Brazil. Find out some facts about the Spurs star.
Football
Richarlison did not wait long to seize the spotlight at the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Brazil's star forward scored both goals in his country's 2-0 opening win against Serbia on Thursday (24 November). His second, a stunning bicycle kick, is an early candidate for the goal of the tournament.
Since then, the Tottenham Hotspur forward has gained moren than SEVEN million new followers on Instagram.
"Richarlison is fantastic," said Brazil's coach Tite about the Selecao's number 9.
After being the top scorer at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where he led his nation to a second straight Olympic gold medal, Richarlison is well on his way to leaving a mark on the football spectacle in Qatar as well.
His 3-0 in the round of 16 against the Republic of Korea, his third goal in the tournament, was another beauty.
Here are some interesting facts on Brazil's new darling.
Richarlison: "Wearing the No.10 shirt of Pele, Neymar, Ronaldinho... I felt like a king"
Richarlison nearly missed the World Cup
Richarlison is thrilled and relieved to be playing at his first World Cup.
The 25-year-old picked up a calf injury during Tottenham’s win over his former team, Everton, on 15 October and feared that he would not be able to make the World Cup squad.
An emotional Richarlison was in tears as he limped off when he spoke to ESPN Brazil about the injury.
"It's kind of hard to say because it's close to the realisation of my dream [the World Cup]. I've already suffered a similar injury to this but I hope it can heal as soon as possible. The last time when I was at Everton, I was out of action for about two months."
He was delighted when he received a call-up to Brazil’s final squad for Qatar three weeks later.
Richarlison survived muggings
The striker was born in Nova Venecia, a small town in southeastern Brazil with a population of 50,000, and he loved being outdoors playing football bare-footed day and night.
His father was a construction worker while his mother did cleaning jobs.
“My journey was a bit difficult,” he admitted in the Olympic Channel Original Series ‘World At Your Feet’.
“Where I lived, all sorts of things were happening. I saw a lot of money, weapons, and drugs. And this is a moment when you have to choose your path.”
By the time he was 11, he had to work to supplement his parents’ meagre income. Besides helping his grandfather on the farm, the young boy sold ice cream and washed cars.
One day, when he was walking home from a football game, he was mugged and even had a gun pointed at him but escaped unhurt.
Richarlison: Playing with borrowed boots
A young Richarlison had to play football barefoot. He was used to it.
When he went for his first trial at América Mineiro – the Brazilian club where he later turned professional - he had to borrow a pair of football boots.
“I was without any boots so those were the ones I used for the trial.
"I passed the trial with these boots and I was very happy and I thank my friend,” he told CNN about his early start as a football star.
He joined América Mineiro’s youth team in 2014 and turned out for the seniors a year later.
Richarlison: The Olympic gold medallist and top scorer
Richarlison lit up Yokohama in July 2021, scoring three goals in the first 30 minutes of his Olympic football career as Brazil opened their Tokyo 2020 campaign with a 4-2 over Germany.
"It was my first hat-trick as a professional and really important to score those three goals to help me deal with the weight of wearing the number 10,” he said to Olympics.com.
Richarlison who goes by the nickname “Pombo”, a Portuguese word for pigeon, scored five goals in six games to finish as the tournament's top scorer in Japan.
Hat-trick hero Richarlison: Copa America despair to Tokyo glory for Brazil's new No10?
Richarlison: Tottenham’s most expensive signing
From playing for América Mineiro and Fluminense in his native Brazil, and moving to England in 2017, Richarlison’s eight-year-old pro career has been bright and successful so far.
During his one-year stint at Watford, he was the only player in the squad to play every match of the Premier League season scoring five goals.
He joined Everton in July 2018 and was the joint-top scorer for the next two seasons with 14 and 13 goals respectively in the Premier League.
When he moved to Tottenham in July 2022, he reportedly became the most expensive signing in the history of the London Club.
Richarlison’s 69.5 million Euros (72.3 million US$) exceeded the 60 million euros (62 million US$) the club had paid for Tanguy Ndombele in 2019.