Richarlison’s Revival Leads The Way For Refreshed Tottenham Hotspur

Scoring striker Richarlison celebrates as Spurs’ start the Premier League season with a win over Burnley.

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His trademark pigeon celebration is the same. Richarlison quite possibly isn’t. The number nine was one of the leading lights from the opening weekend of the Premier League, scoring twice as Tottenham Hotspur defeated promoted side Burnley on Saturday. The reinvigorated Brazilian, with the momentum and backing to finally become a prolific forward at Spurs, best embodies a team on the up.

It’s worth noting that a similar tape has played before. Richarlison has previously been an effective striker, while Tottenham, at the beginning of ex-coach Ange Postecoglou’s tenure, picked up 26 points from a possible 30 to start the 2023/24 league campaign. In both cases, neither developed into a genuine force in the division. And it’s only the first match this time around.

Richarlison’s character arc is significant, though. Fewer than 18 months ago, the Seleção international spoke bravely about his battles against depression following the World Cup in 2022 to ESPN. Being a professional athlete, with its expectations and incessant scrutiny from the stadium to the digital space, brings challenges regardless of the attractive pay packets. He now looks in a much better place, which is great to see.

Many (guilty here) would have chosen his striking partner, Dominic Solanke, as the apex of their Fantasy Football teams. However, the ex-Everton frontman seems to have the advantage over Solanke, spearheading the lineup and swivelling his long limbs to net two excellent goals and start on the right footing. Richarlison has rough edges to his game. Still, you don’t rack up half a century of caps for Brazil without having clear strengths.

Someone key to the 28-year-old’s fortunes is Spurs coach Thomas Frank. In Richarlison, he likely sees a physical competitor from whom he can extract the best for the function of the lineup. Away from the tactics whiteboard, the Dane—once a teacher—could be the mentor Richarlison requires. Ivan Toney, Yoanne Wissa, and Bryan Mbeumo were the beneficiaries at Brentford—Frank’s former club.

“I always liked Richarlison,” said Frank when asked about how the South American fits his plans amid talk of him leaving this summer. “I always thought he was good when he played for Everton. When he came to Tottenham, we all knew he had struggled with some injuries or been unlucky with them. So, we’re very aware that we need to build him up and protect him. We can’t say, after playing two games back-to-back, where he did well in both, that we are out of the woods. We need to prove it for a longer time. But the early signs are good.”

Watch Out For Dark Horse Tottenham

Tottenham is not even at the periphery of discussions around which names are best-placed to compete for the Premier League title this term, with Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, and Chelsea getting the most attention in that regard. Having won a rare trophy in May and being nearly guaranteed to upgrade on its 16th-place league finish, Spurs can approach the season without any major weight on their shoulders. The only pressure could be financial, namely qualifying again for the Champions League and the riches it brings.

It’s another transitional period for Tottenham. Postecoglou’s era involved the departure of all-time leading scorer Harry Kane while switching to a brand of expansive high-stakes soccer. As for Frank’s Spurs, they have lost another worldwide star in Son Heung-min and are adjusting to a more direct and adaptable style. On first viewing, a resurgent Richarlison will be a central piece for a club that was in a less-than-ideal situation for much of 2024/25.