Everton Ribeiro: Is he the next Neymar?

It has almost become habitual that every season, there is a next big superstar emerging out of Brazil. Before his move to Barcelona, it was Neymar. Just a few days after being announced as Brazil’s footballer of the year, this time around it is Cruzeiro’s attacking midfielder Everton Ribeiro. The Brazilian international attracted attention from both Manchester United and Liverpool after his impressive displays in the league helped Cruzeiro win the title.

Everton has professed his love for Manchester United and Liverpool are also looking at putting in a bid in January. So, let us look at who Everton Ribeiro is and whether he is worth all the attention that surrounds him.

Who is Everton Ribeiro?

Born in São Paulo, Everton is a product of the Corinthian youth academy where he impressed one and all with his dribbling skills and his close control. He was looking to break into the first-team, but he found that opportunities were few and far between, and eventually moved out to São Caetano in 2008. It was here that the world first caught glimpses of what he is capable of. His time with the club was largely successful as he went on to earn a place in the Brazil Under-20 side and also won the South American Championships in 2009.

But, it was when he moved to Coritiba in 2011 that he caught the attention of the world. Under his current coach Marcelo Oliveira, who was then at Coritiba, he showed just what he was capable of with the ball at his feet. But, too often, he tended to drift out of games, a tendency that was corrected this year with his move to Cruzeiro, where he has added consistency to his raw talent.

Style of play

Early in his career he used to play as a left wing-back, but when his coaches witnessed his undoubted ability on the ball, they moved him forward. Although he is a left-footed player, he enjoys playing on the right as he is able to pick up the ball and cut inside to provide the final pass or release a venomous shot with his left foot.

Like most Brazilian attackers he is very comfortable on the ball and has incredibly quick feet and very good close control. Apart from his scorching finishes and his tantalizing through balls, his link-up play with both the full-back and the attack is one that makes him stand out. His ability to pick up the ball and just run at the defenders means that he gets fouled very often and that can prove to be an invaluable asset in his arsenal.

Strengths

Arguably his biggest strength is his footballing intelligence. Not only is he fleet of foot, but also sharp of mind, and his 11 assists in this year’s Brasileirão is a testament to just that. Aside from his dribbling and passing ability one of his most valuable assets is his ability to hold onto the ball in tight situations. Although he plays on the right side, he is very versatile and can play in a variety of attacking positions.

One of his rather underrated qualities is his finishing. Although he is more of a creator than a finisher, he has a mean left foot and has the ability to rip the net out with some of his shots. But, he doesn’t shoot often enough, instead opting to pick the perfect pass and lay it on for a team-mate.

Weaknesses

Although he is almost 5 foot 9, he isn’t well built; as a result he can occasionally be bullied by more powerful opponents. And whilst it is true that on most occasions he has the last laugh, his physique is certainly something that he needs to work on if he is to cut it in the major European leagues.

Another aspect of his play, that not many can bear witness to, is his defensive ability. At Cruzeiro, he has next to no defensive responsibility and if he was to move to Europe in January he might initially find it difficult to adapt to that.

Verdict

Highly intelligent with the ability to play in a number of attacking positions, Everton Ribeiro can certainly add a lot to any club in Europe. He can be that X factor, the player who can spark any midfield into life. A move to Europe will certainly make him a more well-rounded player and will be interesting to see who takes a gamble at this prodigiously talented attacking midfielder from São Paulo whose future certainly looks bright.+