Soccer <\/p>\n
From his quick smile and the rhythmic lilt of his accent to his skill and style on the pitch, Evander<\/a> exudes Brazilianness.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n So it was high praise indeed when his FC Cincinnati<\/a> teammate Roman Celentano<\/a> offered up a deeply American compliment after the playmaker\u2019s latest star turn in a 2-1 win<\/a> over Chicago Fire FC<\/a> last weekend that pushed Cincy into the Supporters\u2019 Shield lead.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s so cool \u2013 he\u2019s just a bro,\u201d said Celentano. \u201cLike, he treats everyone like family.\u201d<\/p>\n Evander\u2019s fellow winter arrival Lukas Engel<\/a> calls him \u201cjust a chill guy,\u201d as does his midfield partner Pavel Bucha<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe gets along with all the players. He’s a chill guy, he likes to joke,\u201d said the Czech. \u201cHe fits in the locker room in a perfect way. So I think everybody loves to have him here and we are so lucky to have him, because of the way he plays. But also, on the other part, yeah, it’s so easy to talk to him.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The 27-year-old Brazilian has been turning heads with highlight-reel goals and assists since he first arrived in MLS, initially with the Portland Timbers<\/a>, ahead of the 2023 season. He led the league in assists (19) last season and his 34 goal contributions were second only to Lionel Messi<\/a>\u2019s 36, earning him a place in the Best XI \u2013 and he\u2019s kept up that pace in \u201825 with 12g\/8a for his new club, reaping a second straight MLS All-Star nod as he spearheads FCC\u2019s trophy hunt.<\/p>\n Perhaps most strikingly, Evander \u2013 who’ll take center stage on Saturday when Cincy host Hell is Real rivals Columbus Crew<\/a> at TQL Stadium (7:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass<\/a>) \u2013 pulls it off with a sort of languid grace that obscures just how exceptional his talent really is.<\/p>\n \u201c<\/strong>He’s just, like, so effortless with everything he’s doing,\u201d said Engel, who\u2019s made fast friends with his Brazilian counterpart. \u201cSometimes it’s a little bit annoying for everyone else, because we’re trying so hard just to get the small things right, and for him, it’s just natural.\u201d<\/p>\n The respect he\u2019s earned from his teammates was palpable as they broke the news of his All-Star selection last month. They marvel at the \u2018wow moments\u2019 Evander produces, just like the fans watching in the stadium and on MLS Season Pass.<\/p>\n \u201cTypically, you’re looking at whoever’s closest to you on the training field, and just [saying], \u2018Did we just see that?\u2019\u201d said FCC head coach Pat Noonan last week. \u201cBut to be honest, the best moments have come in the games.<\/p>\n \u201cWe’re going back on the video, with the tactical [cam] that we have on the bench, and you just see the players\u2019 reaction. They’re in awe of just the audacity to try certain things, and to actually pull them off. So that part’s special.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Howdy, All-Star ????\u2b50\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/6Ed3Douf99<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) June 26, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Sift through a few of Evander\u2019s golazos, like the rocket from range against Chicago, or the cheeky near-post set piece<\/a> with which he tricked Orlando City<\/a> goalkeeper Pedro Gallese<\/a> two weeks ago, or that nasty free kick<\/a> over the wall against Nashville SC<\/a> earlier in the year, and the hefty $12 million-plus Cincy paid to Portland in a league-record cash-for-player trade in February begins to look quite reasonable.<\/p>\n Engel was already an admirer of Evander before they became teammates, having competed against him across four clubs when the two played in the Danish Superliga from 2018-22, during which time the Brazilian was a key figure at FC Midtjylland, helping the Wolves win a league title and two domestic cups.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, I think I knew him better than he knew me, if I’m being honest!\u201d laughed Engel. \u201cHe played for a really, really good team, and he was the main man there.<\/p>\n \u201cJust look at what he’s doing; he’s doing unbelievable, and he’s not just a typical, I\u2019d say, star player, where you get a little bit of, not arrogance, but in a way. He’s just a team player, really. He works so hard for the team, and you can just tell that everyone likes him and really wants him to do well.\u201d<\/p>\n Replacing 2023 Landon Donovan MLS MVP and four-time Best XI honoree Lucho Acosta<\/a> looked like a tall order when the Argentine contentiously fell out with Cincinnati\u2019s leadership over the winter. Evander\u2019s excellence has cast a whole new light on that saga, however \u2013 because the Knifey Lions appear to have not merely stayed on course, but improved.<\/p>\n Come to think of it, that might apply to Evander, too.<\/p>\n \u201cHe’s been better than advertised,\u201d said Noonan. \u201cHe has a really high soccer IQ. You see that with the information that we’ve given him and different things that we’ve challenged him with to be more effective in the game, whether it’s from deeper positions, advanced positions, how he’s connecting with his teammates around him.<\/p>\n \u201cHe’s a pleasure to work with, and he’s also somebody you can challenge: \u2018Hey, this isn’t good enough.\u2019 And he’s going to think about it, and he’s going to take that information and try to get better. And I think we’ve seen that progression with our group, and you’re seeing it with his production.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 6, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n His colleagues are just as likely to hail his warm personality and quiet leadership as they are the jaw-dropping stuff he does with the ball at his feet.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s really good with the guys,\u201d said Celentano. \u201cOn Sundays, when most of the guys are inside doing regen and just a small group of guys are out on the field, after he finishes his work inside, you’ll see him just wander outside, encourage and support the guys that are training that maybe don\u2019t want to be training on Sunday, doing some intense runs and stuff.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen the guys see that in him, they know what kind of player he is \u2026 He\u2019s always been, just, real with everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n Elite creators are often described in otherworldly terms because their skill sets are rare and dazzling. Messi has constantly been compared to an extraterrestrial, for example. Yet those who spend the most time with Evander find him profoundly relatable, at least off the field, where he describes himself<\/a> as a homebody who enjoys video games and the home-cooked meals his mother prepares for him.<\/p>\nOne of MLS’s best<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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Elite midfielder<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Top teammate<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n