SARASOTA, FL - Neymar might not have had the year he would’ve imagined in 2016 - his recent absence from FIFPro World XI’s lineup might prove just that. On the other hand, the Brazilian star is increasingly becoming a reference for younger players who follow his exploits both at Barcelona and Brazil, and that are still looking for a breakthrough. One of these fans is now trying to leave a mark during Wolfsburg’s Florida Cup participation.
His name? Orrin McKinze Gaines II.
(Getty Images)
The 18-year-old attacking midfielder is a prospect for the Wolves, and has ‘Ney’ as an inspiration - something that diverges from his colleagues that prefer to admire the likes of Ronaldo Nazario, Ronaldinho or Romario, old-school soccer stars from a not-so-distant past.
“I’m a huge Neymar fan. I’ve been following his career for some time, since I was a little boy and he was still at Santos”, McKinze told Goal at a luxurious hotel in Sarasota. “I try to mirror myself to his playing style so I can develop my own.”
And the Wolfsburg youngster believes it won’t take long before his idol is competing in equal conditions against Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi to be the best in the world.
“He definitely has all the qualities to become a player of such caliber. I’m eager to see just how much he’ll evolve in the coming years, I bet he’ll get there [to the top].”
(Vfl Wolfsburg)
McKinze and Wolfsburg are back on the pitch on Thursday (January 12), when they face Bahia as part of the 2017 Challenge, the first of two distinct phases of this year’s Florida Cup.
“I don’t know much about them”, Gaines declared. “But I believe they play with similar quality and style as many traditional Brazilian teams.
“It will be a great match indeed.”
Orlando’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is set to host Wolfsburg vs Bahia, kicking off at 7:00 p.m. ET.
