The new golden boy from Brazil sets trend now
RICHARLISON idolised Neymar so much he would copy the Brazil superstar’s haircuts.
The £40million Everton forward even got the bleach out to mimic his hero’s Mohican when he was a teenager.
Richarlison, 21, now plays alongside the Brazil icon in the national team.
And instead of copying his goldstreaked hair, he is the one being called “golden boy” after two goals on his first start for the Samba Boys in the 5-0 win over El Salvador last week in the USA.
“I’ve kept my shirt and boots and I am going to get them framed,” said Richarlison.
“I’ve got Neymar’s shirt from that game as well, which I’m going to keep.
“They are going to be kept in a room in my house with mine alongside Neymar’s and also with my boots. When people come to visit they’ll see this.
“Neymar wrote a message on the shirt saying, ‘God bless you, golden boy’. He is an idol of mine, he’s been an idol of mine since my childhood. I’ve always followed his progress, always tried to mirror myself in the way he plays and also I’ve tried imitating some of his haircuts!” Which was the best one? “I would say the yellow Mohican,” he replied. “I didn’t quite pull it off though because I didn’t really have the right hair products. It would stay up for five minutes and then just flop down. “I did tell him about the haircut. I remembered one day and during lunchtime I told him and this made the whole room fall about laughing, they thought it was hilarious.”
Neymar was the one copying Richarlison in the game when they both did his pigeon-dance celebration.
It is some coming of age for Richarlison, who was told he would not make it as a footballer.
Even his own mum Vera Lucia had her doubts – but dad Antonio Marcos has had his faith repaid now his son is an international footballer.
“After the game 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, it wasn’t possible,” he said. “Some of my friends said I wouldn’t have a future in football, as did some of my family. But I still believed and wanted to chase my dreams.
“My mum would tell me that I needed to get a proper job, but I didn’t want to be anything other than a footballer.
“This led to some tension between us, but I fought until the very end.
“My dad was the one who registered me in my first school [team] and my dad believed in me more than anyone. My dad is the proudest out of anyone that I made my debut for Brazil.”
Those two goals for Brazil proved Richarlison was still in form and he will be watching them back on the coach ahead of Everton’s clash with Arsenal tomorrow as he makes his return from suspension. The likes of Ronaldo, Adriano and Neymar will also pop up on his phone and he hopes he can fire the Toffees to their second win of the season. “Whenever we are en route to the game on the bus I’m watching the goals from Ronaldo, Adriano and Neymar to get some inspiration,” he said. “Then when I am on the pitch I try to replicate what they do. “I will watch it on the way to the game and 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 and on the flight from New York to Liverpool I watched them about 50 times.” RICHARLISON took part in a coaching session with Everton in the community’s pan-disability football team this week. For more visit www.evertonfc.com/community