Richarlison — From Slums to the Premier League
Richarlison’s story is another of those traditional stories of many Brazilian footballers: he was born in poverty and took advantage of his footballing skills so he wouldn’t rely on the other, much less rewarding, jobs. But, unlike most other Brazilians, Richarlison rose to glory and became one of the hot prospects in Brazilian football.
Born in Nova Venécia, north of Espírito Santo, a city known for granite mining and with a HDI lower than Libya, Richarlison had to endure the taunts of many of his fellow neighbours, who would say that like many other poor children he’d become a robber or a drug dealer. As he recently said on an interview to Globoesporte:
- I’ve said many of my friends are in jail, some already died. I had all to go into this way as well. I remember walking on the street and they would call me a stupid lil’ punk, little criminal. Thank God I haven’t become a criminal like they said. Now I’m at the Premier League and help my family. That’s all that matters. I’ve never heard those people who only want you to be bad.
Richarlison would then become a Real Noroeste youth player, a small state Capixaba team, where he started his career. Since football in Espirito Santo is not that developed — compared to neighbour states like Rio, Minas Gerais and Bahia — the best way to become a professional footballer and a top player was to be found by a team of these other states. Luckily for him, he was moved to Minas Gerais’ third team, América Mineiro, where he would become a professional. At the Coelhão team he would soon turn into a first team regular, scoring 9 goals in 24 games. His skills, pace and finishing would make Fluminense to get interested in the youngster and launch a bid of about 9 million Reais for 50% of the striker/winger.
At Tricolor Carioca, Richarlison flourished playing as a winger or a striker, thanks to what he would eventually receive a call to defend the Brazilian U20 national team. Even though he wasn’t able to complete the Laranjeiras’ side bid for a championship, his abilities and potential would make him a disputed player by European teams. He was then signed by Premier League side Watford for a fee of £11.2 million and had the Portuguese Marco Silva as his manager. At the Hornets, he would flourish being deployed as a right winger or as a number 9 in a 4–1–4–1 formation where he would go on to impress many bigger Premier League teams. But a drop of form by the Hornets would see Marco Silva getting sacked and being replaced by Javi Gracia. His form also dropped a bit in the beginning, and Watford finished the 2017–18 season in a mid-table position, occupying the 14th place.
Marco Silva was then appointed manager of fellow Premier League side Everton FC, and he launched a staunchly high bid for Richarlison. Silva, who had seen the potential of the former Real Noroeste man, made him his main target for the upcoming season. Richarlison was then signed by a massive fee of £35 million, which could reach an extraordinary £50 million with the add-ons, making him one of the more expensive players in the history of Everton.
He, now, is back working with the manager who brought him to Europe and knew how to make the best of him. Stakes are high at how Richarlison will perform this season but, for a player who four years ago was playing in a non-national league side at Real Noroeste, things got really fast in Richarlison’s life and he is now a promising striker at one of the biggest clubs in England.
A kid once snubbed and who suffered prejudice due to being poor, who was seen as a potential criminal, Richarlison’s life is nothing but a tale of overcoming adversities.
