Chelsea are closing in on the capture of Brazilian international midfielder Ramires for the not too small sum of €22M. But what can the London side expect from their new arrival?
The 23-year-old, born in Barra do Pirai, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, has only been playing his football in Europe, with Benfica, for little more than a year, having arrived at the Portuguese side on 22nd May, 2009 from Cruzeiro. After the 2009 Copa Libertadores, when Cruzeiro lost the final at home against Argentine side Estudiantes, Ramires – the biggest name in the Brazilians’ side – left, heading to the Estadio da Luz for a fee of €7.5M. At Benfica the midfielder soon found himself at home, adapting quickly to Portuguese football, scoring some vital goals and going on to play game after game, helping the club win the league title.
If, upon his arrival in England, Chelsea fans are expecting Ramires to be a like-for-like replacement for the now departed Michael Ballack, then they will soon realise Ramires has very different qualities to the German. While Ballack operates closer to the final third, at times slowing down the tempo, Ramires can literally cover the entire pitch, popping up at opposite ends and always running with the ball whenever he has a chance. It’s maybe in the tackle that he can be at his most effective though. Ramires never gives up, has a petrol tank with endless reserves and will give his everything to win back possession for his side. This skinny, fast and warrior-like midfielder should love the battle that is the Premier League.
Being a warrior is not the only one of Ramires’ characteristics, though it is the nickname he gained in Brazil when turning out for Cruzeiro: Fans labelled the midfielder "Ramires Guerreiro". Ramires arrived at the Belo Horizonte side to replace one of the club’s legends, Ricardinho, who had picked up 15 medals with Cruzeiro, but left Brazil to head to Japan. After returning to Cruzeiro though, Ricardinho could not recapture the form of his first spell and the club knew they had to find a suitable alternative. Ramires, a youngster, signed from a small club in the shape of Joinville, left Cruzeiro’s fans unsure whether this skinny kid could replace a legend. Their doubts though did not last long, finally evaporating when Ramires scored the fourth goal in a 4-2 win over their major rivals Atletico-MG. It was clear for all to see then that the $195,000 that had been shelled out on Ramires was a fine investment.
But why is Ramires considered a warrior? The 23-year-old is capable of recovering possession, harrying opponents for an entire match the length and breadth of the pitch, and with his quick passes and surging runs, seeing Ramires score isn’t a rare occasion. The ability of Ramires to run for almost the entire match is such a remarkable characteristic that another nickname picked up at Cruzeiro was "Queniano Azul" (The Blue Kenyan), in reference to the colours of the club and the midfielder’s speed and endurance. Yet another nickname some sections of the Cruzeiro support invented for Ramires was "Pernalonga Azul" (The Blue Bugs Bunny), because he sometimes moves in such a strange way across the pitch, with a running action which makes his legs seem too long for his body. It is all these qualities that have helped Ramires achieve the dream of every Brazilian player, moving to Europe, though not without having played for the Seleção.
Ramires was part of the Brazil squad which headed to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and picked up a bronze medal. The midfielder was called up after Real Madrid refused to release Robinho for the tournament, but then coach Dunga gave Ramires precious few chances to prove his value. Having continued his good form at Cruzeiro, Ramires was then called up for the senior national squad, with his first game coming in the 4-0 win against Uruguay in World Cup qualification. It was perhaps in the 2009 Confederations Cup though when Ramires was adjudged to have truly arrived on the international scene. In that tournament, which Brazil won, Ramires was widely considered their finest player. In the final he was crucial in the side’s 3-2 win over the USA, providing two assists and guaranteeing himself a spot on the plane to South Africa later in the year.
It has been widely reported in the Brazilian media that during the 2010 World Cup, agents Kia Joorabchian and Pini Zahavi bought 50% of Ramires’ rights for €6M, looking to the future and considering when he would have the chance to move to the Premier League as a top class player. If these reports are true, and they remain unconfirmed, then the super agent duo made the right call at the right time, as Chelsea prepare to pay €22M to snap up Ramires. The warrior midfielder is constantly proving himself at every club as not just a good player, but an excellent investment too.
