With the 2023 Copinha well underway, the next generation of Brazilian talent begins to emerge. Last year, Endrick Felipe grabbed all the headlines with some unbelievable performances, and now, the 16-year-old has earned a €60M move to Real Madrid. Other football legends like Cafu, Kaká, and Neymar were also born in the traditional U20 Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior. In this article series, we will identify some young stars in the 2023 Copinha. While some of these will emerge throughout the competition, others will have been on some people's radars before the competition. Nonetheless, this series aims to use the Copinha to highlight some bright talents in Brazil's youth academies.
As the group stage wraps up, it is time to look at perhaps one of the biggest names to emerge from this year's edition. Isaac arrived at Xerém, Fluminense's youth academy, in February 2021. At the time, Isaac came from the small state of Piauí, already 16 years old. The young winger hit the ground running though, and in 2023, Isaac arrives as one of the biggest promises in the Rio de Janeiro club.
In his home state of Piauí, Isaac played futsal until the age of 15, when he joined River-PI's youth setup. This rather late start to academy football can be clearly seen in his game, and it is perhaps what sets him apart. Isaac mainly plays on the left wing, cutting inside to his favourite right foot. It is his lack of positional patience, however, that makes him so dangerous. The 18-year-old loves to cut inside and roam through the central channels - perhaps an effect of his futsal background. Only two games into the competition, Isaac has already racked up three assists. With this free role, he is the heart of Fluminense's attack.
Free is perhaps the best way to describe Isaac on the pitch. His most notable attribute is his dribbling, which he has displayed at the highest level in this competition. Coming from futsal, Isaac is as comfortable as any in tight spaces. In the Copinha, especially against weaker opponents, the 18-year-old has been able to unlock low blocks and create space with incredible ease.
With numerous opponents around him, Isaac combines pure instinct with quick reactions to maintain control of the ball and get past opponents. His technical ability is undeniable, and it is easily what makes him so unique. In the first instance, he adds a futsal ball roll and gingado (body feints) to his tight ball control and leaves three opponents in the dust. With his dribbling, he progresses from the middle third into the final third and finds his teammate in a dangerous position.
In the second, he receives the ball in absolute chaos, surrounded by numerous defenders. He maintains close control and gets past them to put his teammate in a great position to deliver a cross. In the last two, he displays further technical ability, quick reactions, and brilliant moves to beat defenders. His dribbling ability cannot be taught. It is an expression of his culture, his childhood, of himself. It is natural.
His game does not end there. In fact, Isaac is unbelievably well-rounded. First, his passing ability and chance creation are excellent. The 18-year-old is able to combine his dribbling ability, described above, with great vision and passing. Isaac is able to find passing lanes in incredibly tight spaces within the defensive organisation. These zones tend to be filled with chaos, with next to no time or space. Nonetheless, Isaac is able to introduce order.
His awareness allows him to comprehend and analyse his surroundings without requiring much time. Combined with his tight dribbling ability, he is able to attract defenders and put his teammates in great positions. In the first three instances below, Isaac creates high-quality chances for his teammates despite being under extreme pressure. He is fantastic at understanding the space and movement around him to know exactly when and where to put the ball.
The last instance above specifically highlights his technical ability. Despite receiving an extremely difficult pass, he is able to take a fantastic first touch and with a backheel, assist Fluminense's stoppage-time game-winner in their Copinha debut.
In addition to creating high-quality chances in the final third, Isaac also plays a significant role in the progression phase. Again with his ability to find space in between defensive lines, he is able to provide options further up the pitch for his teammates. After receiving these sorts of passes, he is able to find his teammates in the final third, especially away from pressure. His passing ability is not only for tight spaces in the final third but also for longer progression passes in earlier phases of possession.
Isaac is also able to score a few goals, albeit this is not the strongest aspect of his profile. Nonetheless, he has already scored a few goals for Fluminense U20, including this absolute beauty against Cruzeiro in the Copa do Brasil U20. However, as we have seen, he is more often than not creating for others rather than getting on the end of chances.
Finally, there is a less glorious yet incredibly significant aspect to his game. Isaac displays great defensive ability for an attacker. His garra (willingness, fight) stands out, constantly challenging for the ball and putting opponents under pressure without the ball. Below are a few instances of this behaviour.
At such a young age, and without much academy experience for that matter, Isaac is the complete package. His profile is extremely well-rounded, and some of his abilities are truly rare. Reports say the 18-year-old has already caught the eye of senior team manager Fernando Diniz, and with these performances, it is only a matter of time before he makes his professional debut.
In 2022, Fluminense developed and eventually sold two extremely talented wingers: Matheus Martins (to Udinese) and Luiz Henrique (to Real Betis). It looks as if Isaac is the next in line, with perhaps even more promising potential.