He’s already having fun.
Some players perfect a certain technique. Thierry Henry mastered the side-footed finish in a one-on-one, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was wonderfully adept at firing through the keeper’s legs and Zlatan Ibrahimovic seems to have got the kung-fu kick shot down to a tee.
For wide players, the dream is often a quick drop of the shoulder to beat the defender before unleashing a shot. Lionel Messi has done it time and time again. Arjen Robben has built a career of being as deadly as he is predictable, whooshing past tackles and firing into the net with his left peg.
Philippe Coutinho has honed a similar skill. The Brazilian playmaker has become renowned for his lethal right-footed curlers from distance. Liverpool fans delighted at watching it time and time again.
Brazil’s World Cup campaign in Russia was 20 minutes old when the Barcelona star produced his party trick.
After Marcelo’s cross was headed away by the Switzerland defence, the ball fell to Coutinho’s feet. You could tell he only had one thing on his mind.
Killing the ball with a razor-sharp first touch, the 26-year-old curled an unstoppable shot around the Swiss defenders, beyond Yann Sommer and into the net via the post.
We have been treated to some magnificent strikes already in Russia but Coutinho’s will be hard to beat. Coutinho was left out of the Brazil squad in 2014 but has started this summer’s tournament like he means to go on.
It’s worth watching again.
Brazil 1-0 Switzerland. That Brazilian lad Countinho might have a decent future ahead of him you know. #rtesoccer #worldcup #BRA #SUI pic.twitter.com/w58alFF12A
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 17, 2018
https://twitter.com/DavidMeyler7/status/1008417200141684738
Five of Philippe Coutinho's 11 international goals have come from outside the penalty area. #BRA pic.twitter.com/UqCS2FFio8
— Paul Carr (@PaulCarr) June 17, 2018
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