The Future’s So Bright He’s Gotta Wear A Mohawk. (Or: Neymar Rebuffs Chelsea.)

There are a number of words which are often used to describe teenagers with mohawks, and maturity is not typically one of them. Luckily, Neymar is doing his best to break down those barriers within the mohawked world, fighting for his landing strip haircut just as Valery Gazzaev fights for the right of the mustache.

The new Robinho, probably better than the real Robinho, is perhaps Brazil’s biggest young talent, one of the biggest in world football, and at 18, has one of the world’s biggest clubs, Chelsea, ready to crack the wallet wide open for his signature, an opportunity most in the world will grab with both hands.

Neymar says no thanks.

A deal had been agreed and when Chelsea went in for the contract kill, often times a mere formality, they were rebuffed and staggered back by a teen who weighs as much as a month-old birch sapling.

“The final decision is always the player’s. I spoke to my dad and my family and we decided to stay. I’m happy, it’s what I want,” the 18-year-old told a news conference.

“I think (the decision) is going to help my game quite a lot because I’m happy. Money alone doesn’t bring happiness,” added the player sitting next to his father, also called Neymar, and Santos president Luis Alvaro de Oliveira.

“This decision of Neymar’s is not based on a mere arithmetic comparison of figures here and there because if it was like that Santos would lose out,” De Oliveira said. “It’s a much wider reaching attitude which shows that a kid of 18 is capable of taking the decision of a mature man.”

And without so much as flicking his foot towards a football, his future became that much brighter.

Being able to play football like this certainly helps too.

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Category: English Premier League