Durban — Manchester United's new man Antony dos Santos has taken little time to settle at Old Trafford, shining since his debut and quickly emerging as one to look out for over the course of the season.
The Brazilian captivated many hearts with his wizardry while in the colours of Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam last season, and he continues to do the same in a Red Devils shirt, tricking his way out of the tightest of areas.
The 24 year old revealed another side of his game in their Europa League match against Sheriff, doing a 720° turn, an action a few in the European stage might have considered showboating.
Antony introducing Old Trafford to his 720-spin last night 🌪️ pic.twitter.com/KfqH8oPNkd
That sort of move would've earned him more cheers than jeers on the South African stage, however, as he unintentionally paid tribute to one of the finest players to ever grace the Premier Soccer League – the late Emmanuel 'Scara' Ngobese.
The Katlehong-born dribbling wizard won numerous trophies with the Amakhosi between 2004 and 2007, entertaining fans while performing a South African traditional form of ball manipulation to excite the crowd.
In 2006, Ngobese even tried his famous turn during a pre-season friendly game against Manchester United at Newlands in Cape Town. The Reds won that 1-0 thanks to an 83rd-minute goal by Chinese striker Dong Fangzhou.
Antony and numerous other Brazilian players have been heavily criticised by the European media for their exuberant style of play and their extravagant celebrations, a trend they continue to embrace in their various leagues.
The Brazilian international is hoping to form a part of La Selecao's final 23-man squad for the World Cup, where he, alongside Neymar Jr and Vinicius Jr, will want to win a record sixth title for their nation.
IOL Sport