Where are they now? Kerlon looking to follow Hulk’s footsteps (Video)

Chances are the name of Kerlon will be lost on you, but a few years ago he was one of the brightest prodigies in football.

Kerlon, known the seal dribbler, is best remembered for his You Tube videos where he could flick the ball onto his head, and then run at full pace juggling the ball away from defenders. The only way to stop Kerlon was to brutally foul him, which if nothing else, at least won his team a free-kick. People linked the young Brazilian’s exceptional skills to Ronaldinho, and Kerlon won caps for the Brazilian under 17 and under 20 side. The attacking midfielder was light on his feet and had a good turn of pace, which allowed him to stand out in the junior leagues and earned him a big move to Inter Milan in 2008. As an inexperienced 19-year-old, Kerlon was loaned out to Cheivo Verona- making only four appearances before re-joining Inter signing a longer-term deal until 2012. However the seal-dribbler never really settled in Italy and was frequently loaned out. Suffering with persistent knee-injuries, and opposition in a squad which included Wesley Sneijder and Dejan Stankovic, Kerlon never made a full appearance for Inter.

After 2 years playing in Brazil, Kerlon, at the age of 25, is looking to restart his career in Japan. While not a traditional move, the J League has often been a successful place for Brazilians to re-start a career. Hulk played in Japan for several seasons, and even legend Zico played there in his autumn years. Will we see the Seal Dribbler again? One hopes so, his skills are unique and although often inconsistent- he can light up a boring game on his day.

Will Mata