Who is Everton Soares? The man who piped Lucas Moura and Vinicius Jr to make it to the Brazil Copa Squad
Many might be wondering why a relatively unknown Brazilian winger from Gremio was picked ahead of Tottenham's Champions League semi-final hat-trick hero Lucas Moura and Real Madrid teenage sensation Vinicius Jr by the Selecao for their 2019 Copa America squad.
The forward is, however, a well-known figure for those who follow South American club football, with the highlight of his relatively small career being a pivotal figure in helping Gremio win their third Copa Libertadores in 2017.
The 23-year-old is rumoured to be on the move, with Manchester City, Manchester United and AC Milan being linked with the young exciting winger.
Early years
Everton Soares was born on the 22nd of March 1996 at the small municipality of Maracanau in Brazil. Like all Brazilians, Soares stared his footballing at a very age, joining Fortaleza as a young boy and played with them till 2012 before moving to Gremio at the end of the season aged just 16, initially joining them on loan before making his move permanent in 2013.
Career
Soares has so far only appeared for Gremio since turning professional in 2014. The winger was promoted to the senior team at the start of the 2014 season and made his professional debut on the 19th of January 2014.
The debut goal though had to wait another year as Soares scored his first professional goal during the 2015 campaign. Although he was scarcely used in his debut seasons, he started gathering more minutes in 2015 before being given a key first-team role in 2016.
In the 2017 season, Soares played a key role for his side as Gremio won their first Copa Libertadores since 1995. Recognition soon followed as Brazilian national coach Tite came calling for the winger in August as Soares made his full Brazil debut against the United States in August.
Soares has so far made over 200 appearances for Gremio, scoring almost 50 goals and winning the Copa do Brazil, Copa Libertadores, Recopa Sudamericana and Recopa Gaucha.
Playing Style
A versatile attacker, Soares can play on either wings or can operate as the secondary striker, but his preferred position is on the left side.
The archetypal Brazilian winger, Soares is blessed with pace, skills and flair. He is very direct and loves running at the defence.
Player profile
Name: Everton Soares
Date of Birth: 22nd March 1996 - aged 23
Place of Birth: Maracanau, Brazil
Height: 5ft 9in
Position: LW/RW
Previous Clubs: Gremio