Anderson Talisca: How the 'New Rivaldo' went from Benfica talisman & Chelsea transfer target to Cristiano Ronaldo's perfect partner at Al-Nassr

Talisca was born in the city of Feira de Santana in Bahia - the fourth-largest state in Brazil. Like most children in the country, he was raised in poverty, and quickly realised that football could be a path to a better life.

After honing his skills on the street, Talisca stepped into Vasco da Gama's youth ranks as a 13-year-old and spent two years with the club, before joining then-Brasileiro Serie B outfit EC Bahia in 2009.

He graduated from Bahia's academy four years later, at which point they had been promoted to the top-flight, and made his professional bow in a clash with Corinthians. Talisca opened his scoring account for the club in his second appearance against Sao Paulo, and soon became a regular in Cristovao Borges' team.

The raw edges in Talisca's game were clear, but so was his limitless potential. "We have to understand that at this age this inconsistency of performance is natural," Borges told reporters when quizzed on the forward's development. "He is a national-team player. Just be patient."

Talisca went on to net a crucial last-minute goal at Cruzeiro that ensured another season in Serie A for Bahia, who parted ways with Borges in December 2013 before appointing another Brazilian coach in the form of Marquinhos Santos. The manager was impressed with Talisca's dedication right from the off, and his ability from a dead-ball.

"Talisca has been reaping the rewards of his training," said Santos. "He is a player who dedicates himself. He is always one of the last to leave the field. After training, he is insistently training free-kicks. It's still early days, he's a young man who has potential and my biggest concern is with his head. Let him continue to evolve and become a great player."

Talisca found the net nine times in the first half of Bahia's 2014 season, and his impressive performances eventually attracted the attention of Portuguese giants Benfica, who forked out €5million for the Brazilian starlet that July. Jorge Jesus gave his newest signing big billing, telling the media at his unveiling: "He’s another one who is going to make millions for Benfica."

The manager's words had the desired impact as Talisca scored eight league goals in his first three months at Benfica, including a stunning hat-trick in a 5-0 victory over Vitoria Setubal. Jesus received widespread praise for unearthing a new gem, which prompted a surprise outburst from Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

"I think Benfica hired well," Mourinho said to Portuguese broadcaster TVI24. "They say Talisca is unknown, but he is only so unknown because he's only not playing in England because he doesn't have a work permit. If he had one, he would be here!"

Jesus then fired back in hilarious fashion: "They knew as much about him as I know about D’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers!"

Former Bahia coordinator Newton Mota was the man who really deserved all the credit for discovering Talisca, and he wasn't at all surprised by his fast start to life at Estadio Da Luz. "People call him Yaya Talisca [after Yaya Toure], but I think he is closer to Rivaldo, who was left-footed, with long strides and good shot from distance," Mota told ESPN.

Benfica were flying in the Primeira Liga, but had only picked up one point from their opening three Champions League games. They were eight minutes away from being held to a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Monaco on matchday four, too, only for Talisca to score a last-gasp winner after ghosting in at the back post to meet a corner on the half-volley.

That was the moment he truly announced himself to European audiences and lived up to his tag as the 'new Rivaldo'. Although Benfica still ended up exiting the competition at the group stage, his status as one of the continent's most exciting young players had been secured, and links to Chelsea began to intensify.

Jesus' side finished the 2014-15 season as Portuguese champions and also lifted the Taca da Liga trophy, with Talisca managing 14 goal contributions across all competitions. He also received his first call-up for Brazil, but everything changed when Jesus cut ties with Benfica to join their arch rivals Sporting CP.

Rui Vitoria was the man selected to replace Jesus after an impressive four-year spell in charge at Vitoria Guimaraes, and he instantly set about stamping his authority on the squad, insisting on a 4-4-2 formation with two combative central midfielders, which essentially eliminated the need for the playmaker role Talisca had made his own under Jesus.

The Brazil Under-23 international only started three league games in the first half of the 2015-16 campaign, and he was forced to come out and address reports of tension with the new manager. "Every player has to go through such moments" Talisca said in December of that season. "There is insecurity and lack of confidence, but I am working hard. I played more under Jesus, but there is no personal feud with Rui Vitoria."

Talisca scored nine goals in all competitions despite his limited playing time, including a brilliant free-kick against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals. Benfica ended up losing that tie 3-2 on aggregate, but earned plenty of plaudits for their surprise run in Europe, and bounced back to clinch their third successive league title.

Vitoria had undoubtedly taken Benfica to another level, and decided that Talisca's services were no longer required ahead of his second season in the dugout. Liverpool and Wolves emerged as suitors for the former Bahia wonderkid, but Besiktas won the race for his signature - agreeing a two-year loan deal with Benfica.

Less than a month later, Talisca came up against his parent club in the Champions League. Benfica were 1-0 up when the Brazilian was introduced to the action as a second-half substitute, and they managed to hold their lead under deep into stoppage-time. However, with seconds remaining, a needless foul gifted Besiktas a 25-yard free-kick, and Talisca stepped up. Inevitably, he was able to whip the ball into the far corner using his instep, and didn't hold back with his celebration before being mobbed by his team-mates.

In his post-match interview with Sport TV, Talisca accused Benfica of not paying him his final salary after the birth of his daughter, before emphatically denying that his exit from the club was financially motivated: "I want to send a message to Benfica management, because they didn't respect me. There were people who criticised me and said that I left Benfica because of money, but that is a lie."

Talisca ended his maiden season at Besiktas with 17 goals and another league title, earning the nickname 'Kiralik Katil' from supporters, which translates to 'Hired Assasin'. He was the top scorer for the club in all competitions in 2017-18, too, but Besiktas dropped a level as a team and they were not able to make his transfer permanent.

Benfica were still determined to offload Talisca, who had burned all of his bridges at Estadio Da Luz, and it was reported that Mourinho reignited his interest in the attacking midfielder, this time as Manchester United boss.

Guangzhou Evergrande beat United to the punch, though, snapping Talisca up on an initial loan deal in June 2018. Four months later he joined them outright for €19m (£17m/$21m), bringing his time in European football to a premature end.

Talisca spent three years at Guangzhou, scoring 39 goals and setting up another 13 in 65 appearances. He added one Chinese Super League title to his crown during that period, and was identified as a top target by Saudi giants Al-Hilal in the early months of 2021.

The allure of even greater riches in the Middle East did indeed prove too much for Talisca to ignore, but it was Al-Nassr who won the race for his signature as they struck a bargain $9m deal with Guangzhou in May that year. Talisca was an instant hero in the eyes of Al-Nassr fans for turning down their main rivals, and their bond grew as he quickly established himself as the most important member of the squad. A prolific haul of 31 goals from his first 37 games saw Talisca singled out as the new Pro League poster boy - but Ronaldo took that title from him at the start of the year.

They quickly forged a strong partnership, though, not least because of their Portuguese language connection, and combined for a number of crucial goals in the second half of Al-Nassr's 2022-23 campaign. However, the league title did not come back to Mrsool Park, which ensured another busy transfer window in the summer.

Al-Nassr bolstered their squad by bringing in the likes of Sadio Mane, Marcelo Brozovic, Aymeric Laporte and Seko Fofana, along with Ronaldo's Portugal colleagues Otavio and Alex Telles. Talisca's position at the club was called into question after Mane's arrival, with it suggested that head coach Luis Castro would be unable to fit the Brazilian into his line-up next to the ex-Bayern Munich star and Ronaldo.

A potential return to Besiktas was mooted for Talisca, but he committed to staying put - only to suffer an injury that saw him miss the first few weeks of the new season. Fears over Al-Nassr's tactical set-up were raised again upon his return to full fitness, despite the club's poor start in the Pro League.

As it turns out, Talisca was actually the missing piece in the puzzle. Al-Nassr have been flying since welcoming the former Benfica man back into the fold, winning 17 of their last 18 games in all competitions.

That has included picking up maximum points in the AFC Champions League group stages, with Talisca scoring all three goals in their latest victory over Al-Duhail. He's already up to 17 goals for the season in total, just four fewer than Ronaldo.

Talisca's ability to play anywhere across the frontline makes him an invaluable asset for Al-Nassr, and he's always dangerous from set-pieces. When Castro's side need a moment of magic to open up a stubborn defensive line, Talisca is usually the one to provide it, whether by playing an incisive pass or producing a stunning strike from a difficult angle.

His languid appearance also works in his favour, as defenders tend to underestimate how strong he is. Talisca rarely comes out second-best in physical duels and drives Al-Nassr forward with his powerful runs from deep.

Despite the fact he turns 30 in February, Talisca is as deadly in the final third as he was in peak years at Benfica and Besiktas, with Castro of the opinion that it's not too late for him to earn his international debut for Brazil. "Talisca deserves to be in the Brazilian national team," the Al-Nassr boss said in October. "He deserves that. We have a very great player."

Earlier in his career, Talisca faced some criticism for his tendency to drift in and out of games. He wasn't disciplined enough to stick to one position - a trend that has continued to some extent at Al-Nassr. There are also times when Talisca dribbles into trouble, and he doesn't bust a lung to get back and help out his team-mates in defence. Al-Nassr can often be left vulnerable on the counter-attack as a result, but his contribution going forward makes him untouchable. Castro's side are a far less dangerous team when Talisca is absent.

He put them in that position needlessly when getting sent off against Al-Ettifaq in their King's Cup last-16 clash in October. The referee had little choice but to show Talisca a red card after he hit out at an opponent in an attempt to halt his run, and it's not the first time his fiery temper has let him down.

For an imposing 6'2 figure, Talisca could also do more when it comes to attacking balls into the box. He offers very little threat in the air, and improving that aspect of his game could go a long way to boosting his chances of a belated Brazil call-up.

“I have a wonderful relationship with both Al-Nassr and its fans,” Talisca said after his hat-trick showing against Al-Duhail. "They are well aware of the fact. I was a club member during a period of transformation in Al-Nassr. I am really proud of the fact I was part of the club’s growth to the point where it is now considered one of the largest in the world.”

Talisca signed a new contract in April tying him to the Mrsool Park outfit until 2026, and his continued presence will be crucial for Al-Nassr to start stocking up their trophy cabinet. Castro's side are second in the Pro League after 13 matches, four points behind Al-Hilal. Their second league game back after the international break is a huge encounter against the leaders on December 1, which could go a long way to deciding who wins the title.

Al-Nassr also look like genuine contenders in the AFC Champions League, with Castro having done a fine job of gelling together a new-look squad full of top-class players. Ronaldo gets most of the headlines, and that won't change even if his form starts to dip, but Talisca deserves most of the credit for the club's recent form.

He may have missed out on playing for a top European club like Chelsea, Liverpool or Manchester United, but that doesn't mean his career has been a failure. In actual fact, the best may still be yet to come.