In collaboration with Goal, Voetbalzone regularly highlights young players who can go far in the future or who are already earning their spurs in (inter)national top football. This time the focus is on nineteen-year-old midfielder Bruno Praxedes, who is making a name for himself at Red Bull Bragantino.
Few youth tournaments in the world are as prestigious as the Copa São Paulo Junior. The cophinha is known as the traditional opening of the season in Brazil and brings together 128 teams from all over the country. The greatest talents of nineteen years or younger get the chance to put themselves in the shop window here. World champions such as Cafu, Rai and Dida, among others, were in the spotlight at this youth tournament, but also the current stars of the seleco, such as Marquinhos, Vinícius Júnior and Antony, stood out in a positive way.
Praxedes (left) in action during the Copa Sudamericana final.
Last year’s edition was canceled due to the corona pandemic. The last time the tournament took place was in January 2020. One teenager stood head and shoulders above the rest at the time. Bruno Praxedes, just seventeen years old, was the star of Internacional and reigned supreme in midfield. The tall, slender left foot showed his excellent insight in building up from the back, while also showing that he is quite all-round with his goals. In the end, his career at another club really took off. Praxedes was a basic player at Red Bull Bragantino in November, which played against Athletico Paranaense (1-0 loss) in the final of the Copa Sudamericana. It is precisely in the current season that Praxedes proves to be a great talent for the future.
The teenager has come a long way in a short time, with Bragantino already his third club after a tumultuous start to his career. Born in Itaborai, a city in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Praxedes started his football education with Fluminense. He quickly emerged as a talent to watch, until he caused controversy when he was part of the Under-17s. His time with the four-time champion of Brazil came to an abrupt end after he played during a conversation on social media gave a remarkable response. When asked which team he supported, Praxedes replied: ‘Follow the leader’, suggesting he was a fan of the then Serie A frontrunner Flamengo, Fluminense’s arch-rival.
There was an outcry among the club’s supporters and shortly afterwards Praxedes was terminated from his contract, allowing Internacional to sign him on a free transfer in early 2019. A little over a year later, he joined the first team. His potential was first noticed by Eduardo Coudet and later by his successor Abel Braga. “I am charmed by Praxedes,” said Coudet, the coach who awarded him his professional debut, last year. “He has a lot of qualities, giving the decisive pass stands out. He’s a great player. He looks a lot like Giovani Lo Celso.”
A left foot rocket from Bruno Praxedes ???? pic.twitter.com/usdVfBMAAU
— CBS Sports Golazo ?? (@CBSSportsGolazo) July 8, 2021
Praxedes was a fixture for Internacional at the end of the postponed 2020/21 season, but it became more difficult to get playing minutes when the new season started in the spring of 2021. His lack of playing time came to the attention of Bragantino, who has only been active at the highest level in Brazil for two seasons. In June, the club made an offer of 5.9 million euros for the midfielder. The offer was accepted by Internacional in part because of their own financial difficulties. It was seen by many as a Bragantino coup as the Red Bull concern is also beginning to make its mark on South American football, just as it has in Europe.
During his first seven months at the club, Praxedes showed why Bragantino has invested so much in him. After 22 games in all competitions, the counter stands at three goals and three assists. His first goal for the club, a 25-yard shot into the top corner against Cuiabá (1-1), sparked comparisons with Marcel Sabitzer. The Austrian midfielder became a trendsetter at RB Leipzig in six seasons and forced a transfer to Bayern Munich last summer. There are rumors that Leipzig is keeping an eye on Praxedes’ development.
Bayer Leverkusen, Watford and Lens have also reportedly expressed an interest in the midfielder. Since tastemaker Claudinho left Bragantino for Zenit Saint Petersburg in August, Praxedes has taken over his role in midfield. The Brazilian currently plays more like number ten, although Praxedes is expected to have the most potential as a controlling playmaker once he gains more experience in the future. Considered ‘the crown jewel’ of Red Bull’s Brazilian project, there is a lot of pressure on the teenager’s shoulders, but nothing can stop him from following in the footsteps of those other former Copa São Paulo Junior stars.