Few clubs have the same kind of reputation for producing exciting wingers as Santos.
Pele, Robinho, Neymar, Rodrygo...the list goes on, and the next gem off the production line looks to be 16-year-old Angelo Gabriel, whose performances for Santos have earned him links to both Liverpool and Real Madrid.
He hasn't been in the public eye for very long, so here's a rundown of everything you need to know about him.
1. He's Santos' youngest ever player
Apesar da derrota, hoje foi um dia histórico para o Santos. O atacante Ângelo, com 15 anos e 10 meses, se tornou o segundo jogador mais jovem a vestir o #MantoSagrado, atrás apenas do #ÍdoloEterno Coutinho.
— Santos Futebol Clube (@SantosFC) October 25, 2020
Parabéns, #MeninoDaVila! ?? pic.twitter.com/ZpRxiQvtkv
Angelo's Santos debut came with a special amount of hype. By entering the field on October 25, 2020, he became the second youngest player to ever wear the Santos shirt, moving ahead of a certain Pele in the standings.
Angelo was 11 days younger than Pele when he made his debut, leaving him behind only club legend Coutinho (not Philippe), who was a few weeks shy of his 15th birthday when he debuted in 1958.
"It is an inexplicable feeling to be with the seniors so soon," he told the club's official website. "It is an experience and I have to grab it with all my strength."
2. He's the youngest Santos player in Copa Libertadores history
In July 2020, Angelo was promoted to the Santos Under-20 setup, despite being just 15 years of age.
He needed just three months with that team to prove he was too good, and manager Cuca was left with no choice but to promote him to the first-team squad.
He's always been ahead of the grade at club level, but when it comes to international teams, he's yet to move past the Under-16s.
4. He loves a one-on-one
#challengeAG⚡️ pic.twitter.com/ZyYjPcpfYs
— Ângelo Gabriel ⚡️? (@AnGeLoGaabriel) March 30, 2020
If you want to know about Angelo's play style, I'll let him do the talking.
"My strongest feature is one-on-ones, the dribble," he said. "I'm very fast and I love giving assists, but I also really like being brave and exciting. It's important at Santos."
In his Copa Libertadores debut, he used those skills to tear the Venezuelan's apart. He might not have ended up with an assist, but he was the game's best player by a long way.
5. He has been compared to Neymar (obviously)
Being a young winger coming through at Santos must be a tough gig. If you're even slightly good at football, you'll get compared to at least one of Rodrygo, Neymar, Robinho or Pele.
In Angelo's case, it's Neymar.
"He reminds me of Neymar because of his dribbling at speed and change of direction," said Betinho, the man who first discovered an eight-year-old Angelo, in an interview with Correio Braziliense. "A very interesting player who will evolve and shine."
