Matheus Martinelli: Things to know about the Brazilian wonderkid

The Brazilian talent factory is always hard at work, and the latest starlet off the production line looks to be Fluminense midfielder Matheus Martinelli.

According to Globe Esporte, scouts from both Manchester United and Arsenal have been keeping a close eye on the teenager, who only made his senior debut in November 2020 and is already a core part of the Fluminense setup.

Martinelli's stock is only going to rise, so it's time to get to know him.

1. He's an excellent playmaker

At home at the base of Fluminense's midfield, Martinelli's bread and butter is spraying passes all around the pitch.

He likes to sit deep, pick up possession and dictate the tempo of matches - a style of play which has earned him some comparisons to Chelsea and Italy star Jorginho.

"Martinelli seems to be 30 years old, with such personality and reading of the game," said manager Marcão (via Lance) when describing the teenager's playstyle.

2. His nickname is 'Xavinelli'

His creativity and selflessness has made Martinelli an immediate hit with the Fluminense fanbase, many of whom have started calling him 'Xavinelli' because of similarities with Barcelona icon Xavi.

"I was very happy when I saw it on Twitter," Martinelli said of the nickname. "He is an idol, nothing needs to be said about him, he was a great player. I am very happy with this comparison. I will try to follow in his footsteps."

3. He hates interviews

The idea of a player 'doing the talking with their feet' is a bit of a cliche, but in Martinelli's case, it describes him perfectly.

He might not have been in the public eye for long, but Martinelli has already gained a reputation as somebody who struggles in front of the media. He rarely does interviews and is usually so uncomfortable that his answers are one or two words.

It's something that Martinelli is trying to work on, but he's happy enough letting his performance speak for themselves.

4. His dream is to move to Europe

Martinelli has never hid his desire to take his career to the next level in Europe.

"I believe that every player has a different maturity, some mature faster and others later," he told Esporte News Mundo. "I am very focused on Fluminense because I know if I have a good campaign, the doors will be open.

"It is the dream of every player to go to Europe, but there is still a lot of work to do this season. When the proposals arrive, players must sit down with their clibs to see what's best for both of them."

5. But he's in no rush to leave Fluminense

While Martinelli clearly plans to head to Europe, it seems as though his biggest goal is to become a legend at Fluminense like iconic striker Fred.

"I think about one day becoming an idol like Fred," he admitted. "I have my head in Fluminense and I don’t think about external things now. I want to stay here and play in the Copa Libertadores."

6. He's part of Fluminense's golden generation

An increased focus on youth development has seen Fluminense bring through some real gems, and Martinelli's generation of players are remembered particularly fondly.

Known as the Geração de Ouro, Martinelli was part of an Under-17 side that featured the likes of Watford forward Joao Pedro and current first-team stars Marcos Paulo, Calegari and Luiz Henrique.

Martinelli's side won everything there is to win at youth level in Brazil and they're the gold standard against which every crop of new players is held.

7. He hopes to add goals to his game

Goals will never be a core part of Martinelli's game - he's too focused on passing and creating chances to get on the end of them himself - but that's something he's keen to change.

Martinelli is doing a decent job of that so far. He bagged twice in a 3-0 win over Goias in February and managed to grab another goal before the month was over.

Don't ever expect him to be challenging for any golden boots, but Martinelli hopes to develop an eye for goal which at least causes problems for defenders.

8. He tries to copy famous Fluminense stars

At Fluminense, academy coaches spend a lot of time trying to instil a winning mentality into their players.

"We have a great affection for the victorious career that belonged to Fred, Nenê, Ganso and Egídio," Martinelli revealed. "So, younger people try to mirror them in order to have a very successful career like theirs.

"They also teach us a lot in training and in conversation. They are people who are always helping us a lot. They tell us to keep our heads focused so we can achieve great things."

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