Like millions of Brazilian families, Richarlison’s loved ones were inconsolable after the team’s exit from the World Cup, but fiercely proud to have witnessed the center-forward shine in Qatar.
“We are so proud of him. He started from nothing, and look where he is now! He is a humble boy, a good, honest boy,” said his grandmother Sebastiana Francisca de Andrade, 69, who invited about 30 people to watch the quarter-final game at her house.
The nation was on tenterhooks as Brazil, with forward Richarlison in the lineup, battled the ultimately victorious Croatia, and De Andrade couldn’t bear the stress, walking away from the screen at halftime.
Richarlison built the house for his grandmother in Nova Venecia, his hometown of about 50,000 people in southeastern Espirito Santo, with his first paychecks as a professional footballer.
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In the living room, there is not enough room on the sofa. The youngest, mostly cousins of the Tottenham striker, sit on the ground wearing the colors of the ‘Selecao’ or the London club. He previously played for Watford and Everton in England after making his name in Brazil at Fluminense.
Faces were drawn, with occasional muffled cries of “Go Charlinho” — the affectionate nickname given to the player by his loved ones — every time he touched the ball.
After a brief moment of panic when the team’s number 9 appeared to have injured his thigh at the start of the match in a clash with Croatian midfielder Luka Modric, the family was relieved to see Richarlison continue.
“If he didn’t score, it’s because the ball wasn’t passed to him,” a cousin complained as the family’s pride and joy was substituted in the 84th minute.
‘Childhood dream come true’
Despite the bitter disappointment of Brazil’s painful quarter-final exit, Richarlison’s big sister Kettima Pereira de Andrade, 27, reflected on his rise to stardom and his place in the national team alongside superstar Neymar, after he faced several rejections before signing his first professional contract.
“When we were small, he went through a phase where he would imitate Neymar, and I would make fun of him. Now, seeing him by Neymar’s side, I realize his childhood dream came true,” she said.
“Our father used to take us to see all the matches he played when he was little. Everyone got into the truck, it was a party,” said the young woman, who sells lingerie online.
Richarlison, 25, seized the spotlight at the World Cup and became a firm favorite among Brazilians after scoring two goals against Serbia in the country’s first match.
Pictures of his second goal — an agile scissor-kick — swept the globe.
In Brazil, he is also admired for his commitment to social causes, such as giving 10 percent of his salary to a hospital that treats cancer patients.
His grandfather died of the disease and his aunt Audiceia de Andrade, 51, is currently receiving treatment for breast cancer at the hospital.
“Our family is very united, and that’s why he became this loving, supportive person who helps those in need,” said Audiceia.
A professional cook, she is eagerly awaiting Richarlison’s return to Nova Venecia to cook him his favorite dish: fried eggs with rice and black beans.
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