A storm was gathering around Old Trafford, Senne Lammens had been beaten, and the available angle was narrowing fast.
Evanilson has been drawing precise lines since childhood in Fortaleza, in Brazil’s Northeast. He would pause cartoons on television and reproduce the images on paper. Last Sunday, he created another memorable curve — this time, one that flew spectacularly into the Manchester United goal.
‘When I thought about going past the goalkeeper, I just took a chance,’ he tells Daily Mail Sport. ‘It was very windy as well. Maybe the wind helped, but I went for the perfect angle. I managed to score a very difficult goal, but it was beautiful.’
That strike completed a 3-0 victory, Bournemouth’s fourth consecutive win without conceding. It was also the third time in four seasons that the Cherries had won at Old Trafford by the same scoreline. Three days earlier, Evanilson’s flicked header had led to the penalty that set Bournemouth on their way to a 3-0 Europa League victory over AC Milan.
In 2008, Bournemouth began a season in England’s fourth tier with a 17-point deduction. Now they are competing in Europe for the first time, despite playing at a stadium that holds around 12,400 supporters and wearing red-and-black stripes inspired by Milan more than 50 years ago.
‘For our club and all the players, beating two world giants is always very special,’ says the 27-year-old Evanilson. ‘It was a very important week for us. I think we’re confident for the rest of the season. It helped us a lot.’
Evanilson rounds Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens…
…before curling an audacious effort into the top corner to put Bournemouth 3-0 ahead…
…and celebrates another landmark victory in what was surely the greatest week in the club’s history
The goal at Old Trafford was Evanilson’s fourth in five matches, coming a week after he scored his 100th career goal against Sunderland. Asked to rate it out of five, he is more generous than that.
‘For me, it is one of the most beautiful,’ he says. ‘Even more because of the occasion — playing against United, away from home, at Old Trafford. That makes the score even higher.’
The week could become more memorable yet. Carlo Ancelotti is due to name his Brazil squad on Thursday, and Evanilson — whose two international appearances came in 2024 — has never received a call-up from the Italian. With Chelsea No 9 Joao Pedro injured, Brentford’s Igor Thiago out of form and Richarlison out of favour at Tottenham, could this be Evanilson’s opportunity?
‘Of course, I’m always thinking about the national team,’ he says. ‘I think it is every player’s dream to wear the biggest shirt in international football. My expectations are high and I hope I can be there. If not, I will keep working and doing my part. Who knows — maybe one day.’
Not long ago, a week like this would have seemed a long way off. Andoni Iraola left Bournemouth in the summer after guiding them to sixth place and their first European qualification. His replacement, Marco Rose, had to wait seven league matches for his first victory, following a 5-1 defeat by Chelsea on October 10 that left Bournemouth 17th.
Under Rose, Evanilson leads the press and has occasionally played behind another striker. He has contributed four goals and four assists in 11 Premier League and Europa League appearances.
‘For me, there is no such thing as a lost ball,’ he says. ‘I am always running and making movements up front. I work for the team. The manager has fitted us into the system well, and now we understand what he wants from us. He wants mobility in attack and for us to press high. It is no coincidence that we have won our last four games convincingly without conceding.’
Iraola, now in charge of Liverpool, helped Evanilson adjust to the Premier League after the striker joined Bournemouth from Porto for a club-record £40million two years ago.
Andoni Iraola, now at Liverpool, helped Evanilson understand English football after his club-record £40million move from Porto two years ago
Marco Rose, Iraola’s successor, has challenged Evanilson to score between 15 and 20 goals this season
Evanilson celebrates after Justin Kluivert’s opener against AC Milan launched a historic 3-0 win for the Cherries
‘He helped me so much to adapt to English football, which is completely different,’ says Evanilson. ‘With the intensity, he helped me with pressing and with making the movements needed to get past my opponent. He is Spanish, and I do not speak fluent English, but he spoke to me in Spanish. I am very grateful to him.’
Rose, too, has needed time to settle.
‘At the beginning, it is always difficult, even for him, to adapt to English football,’ Evanilson says. ‘In some matches he tells us to do certain things and we do not, and we suffer because of it. He knows what he is doing and plans games very well. The intensity on the pitch is also very similar to Iraola’s. He trusts me a lot.’
The German coach believes Evanilson is capable of scoring 15 to 20 goals this season, after managing 18 across his first two campaigns combined.
‘His expectations are very high,’ says Evanilson. ‘I am sure more chances will come. I have to be in the right position and stay focused so I can take them.’
Evanilson’s fellow Brazilian Rayan also scored at Old Trafford, opening his league account for the season. The 20-year-old arrived from Vasco da Gama in January for an initial £24.7m and has started for Brazil at the World Cup.
‘I already knew how much quality he had as a player, but I did not know him as a person,’ says Evanilson. ‘He is an impeccable lad and a good guy. We are always together at the club. He has great strength and explosiveness, as well as a natural instinct for goals. Since he arrived, I have tried to help him settle as quickly as possible.’
At Porto, Evanilson was the one receiving support. He joined the Portuguese club from Fluminense in 2020 for around £8m and spent much of his first season with the B team. Pepe, the former Real Madrid centre-back, encouraged him to persevere.
Former Real Madrid centre-back Pepe (centre) became a guiding presence for Evanilson (left) as he waited for his Porto career to take off
Evanilson eventually established himself at Porto, scoring 60 goals in 154 appearances before earning his Premier League move
‘I love him, I love him,’ Evanilson says of Pepe. ‘He was always speaking to me. He would say: “Calm down, your time will come. The coach really likes you.” Sometimes I felt sad. I had been signed by Porto, but I was playing for the B team.’
Porto won the league and cup double the following season, with Evanilson scoring 21 goals in all competitions. Two years later, he was heading for England.
Bournemouth is a long way from home, but Evanilson had experienced that kind of distance before. At 13, he left Fortaleza for Fluminense in Rio de Janeiro — around 1,600 miles away and a day and a half by car, at the opposite end of Brazil.
‘It is very hard for us to leave the Northeast,’ he says. ‘When I left at 13, I was just a child and I went on my own. Sometimes I wanted to return.
‘My mother always told me: “If you want to become a footballer, you have to face reality and keep going. You are a good player, but you also have to overcome the difficulties away from the pitch.”’
Jose Neto, the coach who took him to Rio, has recalled how the youngster promised to draw his mother, Madalena, every day to help with his homesickness. She died suddenly in 2017, while Evanilson was in Fluminense’s youth academy, and he considered walking away from football.
‘I would love for her to be here to experience everything I have gone through, from leaving Fortaleza to reaching where I am now,’ he says. ‘I am sure she is proud. More than anything, I wish she could be here, watching me play in the Premier League.’
The drawing continued. Today, Evanilson shares that passion with his daughter, Maria Alice.
Bournemouth team-mate and fellow Brazilian Rayan has secured a place in Brazil’s starting XI — now Evanilson hopes to follow him
Evanilson travelled more than 1,600 miles from Fortaleza to join Fluminense’s academy in Rio de Janeiro
‘Whenever I am at home with her, we do some drawing together,’ he says. ‘It helps me relax and forget about some of my problems. It is also lovely to know that she enjoys it.’
Home in Bournemouth also includes Ola Brasil, a small shop on Wimborne Road. When the family first arrived, its owner delivered rice, beans, chicken and farofa — toasted cassava flour — to their hotel.
‘It is the food every Brazilian loves. When you go a long time without eating it, you even feel weak,’ he says.
The shop is also the only place where he can buy Brazilian-style Maria biscuits.
‘I always buy them,’ he says. ‘My one-year-old son eats only these Maria biscuits. He is crazy about them.’
Evanilson has always lived near the coast — in Fortaleza, Rio, Porto and now Dorset, where the sea feels rather different.
‘It is impossible to get in because the water is so cold. Very, very cold,’ he says.
The coastline he knew growing up is in Brazil’s Northeast, a region of nine Atlantic states. Fortaleza, home to about 2.6 million people, is its largest city, and Evanilson still returns there with his family.
Evanilson has won two caps for Brazil and hopes to receive his first call-up under Carlo Ancelotti this week
‘In summer, Bournemouth is incredible. It reaches 35 degrees and feels great. Sometimes you can feel as though you are in Brazil, in our Northeast’
‘Our Northeast is incredible and very beautiful,’ he says. ‘It is extremely hot, but it is beautiful and perfect, with wonderful beaches. I loved living there. Whenever I return to Fortaleza, I always want to be on the beach. Even the warm water helps you relax.
‘This town is very good too. In summer, it becomes really hot. Lots of people from other parts of England come here for the season. The beaches are full, the streets are busy and the heat is similar.’
On the hottest days, the distance between Bournemouth and his homeland feels a little shorter.
‘In summer, it is incredible. Temperatures reach 35°C and it is lovely. Sometimes, during the summer, you can feel as though you are in Brazil — in our Northeast.’
