Manchester United new boy Antony had multiple reasons to celebrate as he began his Premier League career at Old Trafford with a bang.
Just three days after completing his £86 million move from Ajax, the 22-year-old winger opened his goal-scoring account for United just 35 minutes into Sunday’s resounding 3-1 victory over league leaders Arsenal.
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With his club debut, first goal and three points already stashed away under his belt, Antony also had the esteemed honour of becoming the 100th Brazilian to play in the Premier League since its inception in 1992.
The very first Brazilian to play Premier League football was Isaias Soares of Coventry City, who made his debut in the top flight in a 2-1 win over Manchester City in the second game of the 1995-96 season.
Despite being something of a footballing trailblazer, the former Benfica forward failed to make much of an impact in England and made just a handful of appearances for the Sky Blues before returning to Portugal with Campomaiorense in 1997.
Still, he opened the door for his compatriots, with 99 more native Brazilians following suit and making the move to the Premier League over the course of the next 27 years — Antony, of course, being the most recent.
While Isaias may have struggled to settle in the Midlands, many Brazilian players have enjoyed successful stints in the Premier League. Here’s a look at those who have fared best during their time in the English top flight.
