Sunderland striker Eliezer Mayenda has named the World Cup-winning striker who he tries to emulate ‘every day’.
Sunderland started this season with no new strikers in their ranks, meaning that unproven youngster Eliezer Mayenda lead the line.
The 19-year-old Spaniard joined Sunderland ahead of last season but wouldn’t make much of an impression in his eight Championship appearances.
And it was the same story during a loan spell with Hibernian in the second half of last season.
But Mayenda impressed in pre-season this summer. He then impressed early doors in the Championship before netting his first goals for the Black Cats.
Mayenda netted a brace against Sheffield Wednesday in the 4-0 win at the Stadium of Light earlier in the campaign.
He’s missed the last three through injury, and Wilson Isidor and Aaron Connolly now look set to start ahead of Mayenda.
But he’s proved that he can be an important player for Regis Le Bris going forward, with his ceiling looking to be very high.
Eliezer Mayenda names his footballing heroes including Fernando Torres
In a recent interview with the club, Mayenda was asked who is footballing icons are, with legendary Spanish striker Fernando Torres being one.
Mayenda said: “I liked Fernando Torres. For me, he was one of the best Spanish strikers of all time.”
But Mayenda then went on to reveal how he tries to emulate the traits of Brazilian two-time World Cup-winning striker Ronaldo.
“The first example though is Ronaldo,” Mayenda continued. “He was the most complete no.9 of all time.
“If you want to help the team, you need to be fast, technical, strong. Ronaldo is a good example of that.
“He can shoot, score goals, defend, he was fast, strong and technical and I work every day in training to become all of those things. All of this will make me better.”
Eliezer Mayenda could go all the way with Sunderland, but patience needed
Mayenda has shown enough this season to suggest that he’s a player with bags of potential.
Whist he’s far from the finished article, Mayenda has some of the above traits that he mentions; he’s powerful and a good finisher, which is a foundation he can really build on.
Now with Isidor and Connolly in the first-team picture, Le Bris and co may well consider another January loan for Mayenda.
But Isidor and Connolly are, as it stands, set to leave Sunderland next summer, and it could be another chance for Mayenda to stamp his authority in the Sunderland XI.
The Black Cats return to Championship this weekend with a trip to Hull City, in what could make for an intriguing debut for former Tigers striker Connolly.