Tottenham striker Richarlison breaks down into tears on Brazil bench during 5-1 win over Bolivia
According to Express, Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison broke down into tears on the Brazil bench after he got substituted in the Selecao's commanding 5-1 win over Bolivia. Spearheading the attack in the World Cup qualifier clash, the 26-year-old came up empty-handed, even as his team crushed the opposition.
With expectations weighing heavy on him, both at the club and national level, concerns surrounding his goal drought just got higher as he couldn't score against the Bolivians. The visibly upset forward faced the disappointment of not adding to his international scoring record before making his exit from the pitch, and he was seen in tears.
Taking his place on the pitch was Wolverhampton Wanderers' Matheus Cunha, who stepped in at the 71-minute mark. The Tottenham forward could only observe as Neymar netted his second goal of the evening to cap off the match. Richarlison will be hoping that this current clash is just a bump in the road, rather than a concerning trend.
As the next set of matches loom, with the season in full swing, both Tottenham Hotspur and Brazil will need him to turn his emotional setback into some motivation. His £50 million price tag and the responsibility of being a key player for both club and country could diminish if he continues to struggle in front of goal.
Richarlison struggles to fill Harry Kane's boots at Tottenham, as he fails to impress for Brazil on national stage
After making a high-profile switch from Everton last year for an upfront fee of £50 million, much has been expected of Richarlison. However, after netting a mere three goals in 37 Premier League matches, he will be looking to make improvements.
Spurs' failure to find a Harry Kane successor late in the transfer window has left Ange Postecoglou with no choice but to bank on the Brazil international's revival. His lack of goals - none in four Premier League games this season - hasn't gone unnoticed.
This has seen Richarlison call for patience following Spurs' remarkable 2-0 victory against Manchester United, a result that flattered the team but saw him fail to score. Speaking to ESPN, he said (via Express):
“I think the fans have to be a little patient. It's not easy to replace an idol like Harry Kane, that time is normal. Like it or not, a match in which I don't score a goal, they're going to miss him. He's a guy who scored more than 200 goals for the club. It is to take as an example and try to score as many goals as possible with a Tottenham shirt. For sure, that's why Tottenham paid dearly for me."
For a player who's been successful before, the key lies in finding form once more. At Everton, the 26-year-old played well, scoring 53 goals over four years. He has also scored 20 goals in 45 games for Brazil.