THE TWO BRAZILIAN LEGENDS WHO INSPIRE ANDREAS

Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira has highlighted the two Brazilian players who inspired him on his journey to becoming an international footballer.

The 24-year-old name Barcelona icon Ronaldinho and former AC Milan playmaker Kaka as childhood idols, in the latest episode of our ‘My Inspiration’ series.

Both players won the Ballon D’Or and the Champions League in the mid-2000s, while at international level the pair were part of the national side’s 2002 FIFA World Cup success.

“Of course, Brazil has a lot of players but I always enjoyed watching Kaka and Ronaldinho, because they played in more or less my position,” says Andreas, who won his first cap for the Selecao in 2018.

“When I used to watch Ronaldinho with his dribbling skills and the way he played, I was a fan of that.

“With Kaka, you know, he’s really fast and he scores goals and for me, both are players I look up to.”

Another all-time great receives a mention during Andreas’s interview.

The midfielder, who has made 72 appearances for United, scoring four goals, names former Red Cristiano Ronaldo as his ‘ideal footballer’ and says he tried to copy him when he was a youngster.

“He was at United, he had an unbelievable shot,” adds the Brazilian. “He had skills, he was fast, so he was like a complete player.

“I always try to do the same things on the pitch like him. I practise my shot and my free-kicks because of him.

“That’s when I really started to play football and when I understood a little bit more I looked at his style of play.”

When asked to name the manager who had helped him most during his career, Andreas is unequivocal in his answer.

“A coach who inspired and helped me a lot is definitely Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] now.

“For sure you can see the career he had, and now as a manager at United, that he could help me.

“From day one he was there to help me and it inspired me the way he played in his career and now that he can help me it’s fantastic.”