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Arsenal midfielder Fabio Vieira has revealed that his teammate and compatriot Nuno Tavares has nicknamed him 'T-Bag', after a character from the famous American crime drama series Prison Break. The Portuguese has hilariously responded stating that he agrees with the comparison made.
Vieira seems to be getting along well with his new teammates since joining from FC Porto last month. Players usually take time to settle in the club's new environment and form bonds with the squad members, however Vieira has started on a great note and already has a nickname.
In an interview with The Athletic, he said:
"He says I look like T-Bag from Prison Break. Oh my god, he calls me that all the time! He’s always joking with me."
When asked whether Vieira himself thinks there's a resemblance to T-Bag, he replied in the affirmative.
"More or less!”
Theodore Bagwell, or 'T-Bag' was one of the characters portrayed on screen by Robert Knepper. He was one of the main antagonists of the show that aired from 2005 to 2017. Arsenal's new signing, however, will hope to quickly become a protagonist in Mikel Arteta's system and enable goals with his creativity and vision.
The 22-year old is yet to make his debut for the Gunners as he recovers from a minor toe injury, but has accompanied the squad to the US on their pre-season tour. Vieira made 27 appearances in the Portuguese top-flight in the 2021-22 campaign and contributed six goals and 14 assists.
He is expected to challenge the likes of Martin Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe for a starting spot in the team.
Arsenal newboy shares nickname with former Manchester United captain
Fabio Vieira is not the only one who has been nicknamed 'T-Bag' by his teammates. Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville also earned the same name in his playing days. On his show The Overlap, while interviewing West Ham United ace Declan Rice, the former Red Devils star spilled the beans on this fact.
Rice mentioned Prison Break as his favorite TV show during the conversation with Neville. Upon hearing this, the host replied:
"You're gonna come up with the joke about me now, aren't you? Do you know they call me T-Bag? Yeah, Rooney called me that for years."
Later, Wayne Rooney also tweeted about Neville's nickname. The DC United boss wrote:
"We call @GNev2 T-Bag because he is a ringer of T-Bag in Prison Break. For everyone asking."
