- 9 minutes ago
How Richarlison outshines Neymar, Vinicius & Raphinha for Brazil
James Shearman
- Updated: 23 May 2023 08:56 CDT
- 3 min read
Tottenham striker Richarlison scored a brace in Brazil's 2-0 victory over Serbia in their opening group stage match.
The 25-year-old's first was a simple finish, while the second was an outrageous bicycle kick that will go down in the history books.
His exceptional performance will come as no surprise to Brazilian fans though, as he has starred for them on numerous occasions in recent times.
Indeed, in the centre forward position, he often outperforms the likes of Neymar, Vinicius Junior and Raphinha.
The trio, each at one of Europe's top teams, are bigger names than Richarlison - not literally, of course.
But the Spurs star excels up front for his national team, keeping Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus on the bench.
Expect him to be among the top goalscorers at the tournament in Qatar.
Richarlison at Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur made the the club-record £60 million signing of Brazilian forward Richarlison in the summer transfer window.
The 25-year-old signed on a five-year deal, after Spurs agreed an initial fee of £50m and a further £10m in add-on bonuses with Frank Lampard's Everton.
Richarlison scored 10 Premier League goals for the Toffees last season as his form towards the end of the campaign guided them to survival.
photos that go hard 🥶 pic.twitter.com/VFrap2HQYa
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 24, 2022
But the Brazilian, who has nine goals and two assists in seven international matches in 2022, has failed to find his feet at Tottenham.
He is yet to score in the Premier League for Antonio Conte's side, in 10 appearances, and has just two goals in all competitions.
His lack of form has not been detrimental to Spurs' season, as they are third in the table, but it is fair to say he has underwhelmed given the price tag.
Richarlison's latest World Cup performance goes to show that it is not a question of ability, however.
Perhaps he enjoys being the focal point of the national team, something he is not afforded in the Spurs lineup with England captain Harry Kane leading the line.
