Football Player Profile: Brazilian Ramires Santos
With their new found riches and an ambition to break into the English Premier Leagues top 4, Manchester City are very busy in the transfer market and are linked with every single football player that is seeking a move. Having already secured the services of Yaya Toure of Barcelona and David Silva of Valencia, they are now courting the services of Brazilian midfielder Ramires, who was one of the star attractions for the Samba boys at the World Cup in South Africa.
Ramires Santos do Nascimento is an indefatigable box to box midfielder, who will run his heart out in the midfield helping in defence as well as anchoring the attacks. Ramires was also linked with a move to the blue half of Manchester last season with the signature of Gareth Barry stalled the move. Ramires is nicknamed as Blue Kenyan – a reference to his club colours at Cruzerio and the player’s remarkable endurance.
Ramires was born on the 24th of March 1987 in Bara do Pirai, Rio de Janeiro. He began his career playing as a leftback for Joinville, a club in the third division of Brazilian Football, scoring 3 goals from 14 appearances.
In 2007 he was loaned out to Cruzario and made his loan move permanent a year later in 2008. Playing for Cruzario he scored another 3 times in 32 matches.
Ramires spends most of his time in the midfield linking play between the attack and defence, he is more of a provider than a chance taker and his goal scoring record is nothing fantastic.
He did however, score a couple of second half goals in his country’s world cup warm up match against Tanzania, after being called up by Dunga to represent the national side in the previous year’s Confederations Cup.
Despite being a scintillating talent, Ramires is still behind Felipe Melo, the pecking order for the national side. He did however represent his country at the world cup against Chile but a booking he received in the game coupled with the one he received in the first game against North Korea, had him suspended for the quarter final clash with Netherlands. That was the end of his world cup, as Brazil was knocked out of the world cup at that stage only.
The infamous Capello index rated him at 62.9 out of hundred for Brazil’s 3-0 win against Chile, but was still higher than Kaka who was rated at 55.8 and slightly behind Gilberto, who got rated at 63.03.
Manchester City does not do great when it comes to Brazilian players, as in the past every Brazilian player they have signed, has turned up a big and expensive blunder for them. Jo, Robinho and Elano all despite making promising starts failed to cement a place in the side and were off loaded. Jo cost the Eastlands club a staggering 18 million pounds but with the sort of money that is available to Roberto Mancini, he won’t be worrying about that aspect of the deal, at least not just yet
Just like his Brazilian team mate he also belongs to Jesus, but not the same Jesus, it is the Benfica coach Jorge Jesus. Jesus has transformed the career of the player and his attacking style of play had led the Portuguese side to a domestic double last season with Ramires an integral part of the squad.
When Ramires played against Liverpool in the Europa League in the first leg of their quarter, he had an outstanding game but somehow managed to spurn a headed chance that would have made sure that Benfica headed to Anfield, with a two goal advantage. He was a little less effective in the second leg away from home, as his side crashed out of the Europa League at the quarter final stages.
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