Even though Richarlison now shines at the World Cup for Brazil as a Tottenham Hotspur player, Everton fans certainly can’t ignore the huge affection they had for him.
The striker spent four years with the Toffees, with 53 goals and 14 assists in 152 matches, by far the club he’s had the most impact at during his career.
That’s why it’s interesting to see some funny stories about Richarlison at Goodison Park, as told by former club coach João Pedro de Sousa.
With the player doing great for Brazil at the World Cup, having scored a brace in the first game against Serbia, the local media has been featuring several stories about him. Today, ESPN Brasil interviewed Marco Silva’s ex-assistant to talk about his time with the striker.
João Pedro de Sousa had funny stories about Richarlison speaking to players and referees even before the player had learned English. The coach also gave much praise to the footballer and the person the Brazilian is, highlighting his personality and saying he misses working with him.
“As with Watford or Everton, I cannot understand how he communicated, especially with the referees. Sometimes Marco Silva and I would turn to each other and ask: ‘What is he saying to the referee? In what language?’,” João Pedro de Sousa told ESPN Brasil.
“We all like him. He imitated Neymar, he’s an unconditional fan of his. Sometimes he played goalkeeper. I miss him a lot.
“He has a huge heart. He’s a boy and he likes being a boy. He has an incredible life story and it was a great pleasure to work with him. Every day we had funny stories with him. He is a unique professional, there is nothing we need to correct. He listens, he dedicates himself a lot, before and after training and in matches.”
