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Brazil are renowned for producing young, exciting players who are adept with dribbling and possess excellent traits with the ball. In the past, players like Pele, Garrincha, Ronaldo Nazario, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho dazzled on the biggest stage at a young age.
In Brazil, where street football is the norm, young players often find themselves pitted against much older opponents. Using their physique against bigger players is futile. But it is important for the younger ones to impose their personality on the game.
It is from these tough roots that gems are unearthed - players with the raw ability to run past opponents, take on multiple defenders at once, and score goals from virtually nothing.
It is the street football culture that forces these boys to 'grow up quick' on the pitch. Over the years, several players have made it from the favelas in Rio de Janeiro to wearing Brazil's Blue & Yellow on the biggest stage.
On that note, here's a look at five Brazilian youngsters currently making a big splash. They have exciting potential, so it remains to be seen what they can do with the Brazil national team. Without further ado, let's have a look at these five players:
#5 Reinier Jesus (Borussia Dortmund, on loan from Real Madrid)
Reinier Jesus Carvalho was born in 2002 in Brazil. He began his career at Vasco da Gama as an attacking midfielder in 2011. He went on to play for Botafogo and Fluminense for a year apiece before becoming an established youth player at Flamengo by 2014.
The Brazilian was promoted to the senior team in 2019, for whom he made14 appearances, scoring six goals. He was spotted by Real Madrid, and was signed on a huge €30 million fee in 2020. On his arrival, he was added to the roster for Real Madrid's reserve team Castilla.
After an underwhelming first few months in Spain, the Brazilian was loaned out to Borussia Dortmund for the remainder of the season. On Tuesday in the Champions League, he played well against Besiktas, looking composed in midfield.
Carvalho has done extremely well for Brazil's youth teams, netting ten goals across 22 appearances at U-15, U-17 and U-23 age groups. He is quick with the ball, has good decision-making and composure, and has a knack of being in the right place at the right time.
It is only a matter of time before he knocks on Brazil coach Tite's door for selection in the senior team.
#4 Richarlison (Everton)
Richarlison de Andrade was born in Brazil in 1997, and began his career at Real Noroeste in 2013. He played for America Mineiro the following year, after which he was promoted to their senior team in 2015 following impressive performances.
In his first senior season, Richarlison won promotion for his side, scoring nine goals in 24 games. He was picked up by Fluminense, where he spent two years, scoring 19 goals. He was named in the team of the season in his second year.
The Brazilian was then spotted by Watford, and brought to England for £11.2 million in 2017. He won the Young Player of the Season in his first year with The Hornets. The Brazilian incredibly played in all of Watford's 38 league games that season.
He then moved to Everton in 2018 for an initial £35 million potentially rising to £50 million. 'Richy' has made 129 appearances for The Toffees, scoring 45 goals and providing 11 assists.
Richarlison scored seven goals in 14 appearances for Brazil's youth teams, making his debut for the senior side in 2018 against the United States. He was also called up to Brazil's squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics. There he scored five goals, including a hat-trick against Germany to help them win gold.
It remains to be seen how the young striker establishes himself in the Brazil national side as he approaches his physical prime.
#3 Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal)
Gabriel Teodoro Martinelli Silva was born in Brazil in 2001, where he began his youth career with Corinthians in 2010. He played with them for four years before moving to Ituano in 2015. There, he signed his first professional contract in 2017, and was handed his senior debut two years later.
Martinelli made history when he came on for goalscorer Claudinho late on in a Campeonato Paulista game against Sao Bento in 2017. The then 16-year-old Brazilian became the youngest player to debut for the club in a century. He scored six goals in 17 appearances with Ituano, before he was scouted by Arsenal and signed by them for £6 million in 2019.
He has scored 13 goals, and provided nine assists in 60 appearances for Arsenal, including a stunner against Newcastle. Martinelli deftly plucked the ball out of the air, and cushioned an exquisite finish beyond onrushing goalkeeper Martin Dubravka to put Arsenal 2-0 up.
The Brazilian has so far made eight appearances for Brazil's U-23s, scoring one goal. He was also named in the Brazil squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics, and scored Brazil's second penalty in the win over Mexico in the semi-final. They won gold a few days later, beating Spain 2-1 in the final.
It is only a matter of time before Martinelli finds consistency and breaks into the senior team.
#2 Antony (Ajax)
Antony Matheus dos Santos was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2000 and played for his hometown club's youth academy for nine years (between 2010-19). His blistering pace and willingness to run at opponents made him a popular choice among coaches and managers.
The young Brazilian was promoted to Sao Paulo's senior team in 2018. Predominantly a winger, the youngster seemed to fire on all cylinders on the right flank. He scored six goals for Sao Paolo playing in that position.
He was signed by Ajax in 2020 for an initial £13 million that could rise to £18.2 million. The Brazilian has made 62 appearances for the Dutch club, scoring 17 goals and assisting 14. That includes three goals and four assists in nine Champions League games, showing the youngster's mettle to perform on the big stage.
Antony scored six goals in 23 appearances for Brazil's U-23 side. He then made his debut for the senior team in a 3-1 win over Venezuela in the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers. He scored his maiden senior Brazil goal in added time.
The youngster and his club Ajax are flying high this season. They are definitely ones to keep an eye on in the Champions League knockouts.
#1 Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid)
Vinicius Jose Paixao de Oliveira Junior was born in Sao Goncalo in Brazil in 2000, and spent 12 years playing for Flamengo between 2005 and 17. He was promoted to the senior side for the 2017-18 season, where he made a whopping 50 appearances, scoring 11 goals.
Vinicius Jr. then moved to Real Madrid in 2018, signing for a staggering €45 million - a deal made official after his 18th birthday. He made his club debut as a late substitute in a game against Real's bitter city-rivals Atletico Madrid in 2018.
Since then, the young Brazilian has become a mainstay in Madrid's front three. He has combined well with strike partner Karim Benzema, scoring most of Los Blancos' goals.
One can see how he is being moulded into a full-blown attacking threat - something that could come in handy for Brazil's senior team as well. He scored a stunning 24 goals in 27 appearances for Brazil's U-15 and U-17 sides.
Vinicius was handed his senior debut in 2019 as a late substitute in a 1-0 reverse against Peru. The dynamic winger was also named in Brazil's squad for 2021 Copa America.
Vinicius, with his quick feet, blistering pace and venomous strike, is slightly reminiscent of Brazilian legends of old - the likes of Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. He is arguably their most exciting talent going forward.
