In Europe, there aren’t enough footballers named after cartoon characters. This is just basic statement of fact. There’s no Roadrunner, no Daffy Duck, no Les Pretend, no Butthead: the missed opportunities are endless.

It’s not that every player needs a cartoon alias; that would of course be absurd, not to mention utterly exhausting. But the odd one here or there wouldn’t go amiss. Lighten up, football. Stop taking yourself so seriously.

At which point we must make the journey to Brazil, home of a million gentle informalities and thus world headquarters for the nickname industry. And for reasons that will be become apparent in just a moment, we alight at Everton Soares, a powderkeg of a footballer who is taking the Copa America by storm.

Everton was Brazil’s best player against Peru last night. He was arguably their best player against Venezuela on Tuesday, too, despite only coming on in the second half. He has two goals in the competition and a legion of new fans. But they don’t chant his actual name when he scores.

Instead, they chant, “É Cebolinha!” – “It’s Little Onion!”

Copa America 2019 key players Show all 13 1 /13 Copa America 2019 key players Copa America 2019 key players Copa America 2019 Key Players We pick a key player for each team at this summer's tournament in Brazil Getty Images Copa America 2019 key players Marcelo Moreno, Bolivia BELO HORIZONTE, BRAZIL - DECEMBER 07: Marcelo Moreno #18 of Cruzeiro celebrates a scored goal against Fluminense during a match between Cruzeiro and Fluminense as part of Brasileirao Series A 2014 at Mineirao Stadium on December 07, 2014 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. (Photo by Washington Alves/Getty Images) Getty Images Copa America 2019 key players Salomon Rondon, Venezuela CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 09: Salomon Rondon #23 of the Venezuela men's national team controls the ball in the first half of the game against the USA men's national team at Nippert Stadium on June 09, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) Andy Lyons Getty Images Copa America 2019 key players Paolo Guerrero, Peru Peru's Paolo Guerrero (R)is chased by Colombia's William Tesillo during a friendly football match between Peru and Colombia at the Monumental Stadium in Lima, on June 9, 2019, ahead of Brazil 2019 Copa America. (Photo by CRIS BOURONCLE / AFP)CRIS BOURONCLE/AFP/Getty Images CRIS BOURONCLE AFP/Getty Images Copa America 2019 key players Philippe Coutinho, Brazil Brazil's Philippe Coutinho (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring during a friendly football match between Brazil and Honduras at the Beira Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre, on June 9, 2019, ahead of Brazil 2019 Copa America. (Photo by Jeferson Guareze / AFP)JEFERSON GUAREZE/AFP/Getty Images JEFERSON GUAREZE AFP/Getty Images Copa America 2019 key players Almoez Ali Abdulla, Qatar BRASILIA, BRAZIL - JUNE 05: Casemiro (L) of Brazil and Almoez Ali Abdulla of Qatar compete for the ball during the International Friendly Match between Brazil and Qatar at Mane Garrincha Stadium on June 5, 2019 in Brasilia, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images) Buda Mendes Getty Images Copa America 2019 key players Miguel Almiron, Paraguay Paraguay's national soccer team player Miguel Almiron, who plays for England's New Castle, exercises during a training session at Ypane, Paraguay, Friday, May 30, 2019. Paraguay started its training program ahead of the Copa America championship that will be played in Brazil. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz) Jorge Saenz AP Copa America 2019 key players James Rodriguez, Colombia Getty Copa America 2019 key players Lionel Messi, Argentina Argentina's Lionel Messi (C) is marked by Nicaragua's Josue Quijano (L) and Luis Fernando Copete during their international friendly football match at the San Juan del Bicentenario stadium in San Juan, Argentina, on June 7, 2019. (Photo by Andres LARROVERE / AFP)ANDRES LARROVERE/AFP/Getty Images ANDRES LARROVERE AFP/Getty Images Copa America 2019 key players Antonio Valencia, Ecuador Venezuela's Roberto Rosales, left, and Ecuador's Antonio Valencia battle for the ball during the first half of a friendly soccer match, Saturday, June 1, 2019, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) Wilfredo Lee AP Copa America 2019 key players Shoya Nakajima, Japan Japan's Shoya Nakajima, right, and El Salvador's Andres Flores, center, vie for the ball during a friendly soccer match in Rifu, Miyagi prefecture, northern Japan, Sunday, June 9, 2019. (Kyodo News via AP) AP Copa America 2019 key players Luis Suarez, Uruguay Uruguay's Luis Suarez (R) and Panama's Roman Torres run for the ball during their international friendly football match at Centenario Stadium in Montevideo on June 7, 2019. (Photo by Pedro UGARTE / AFP)PEDRO UGARTE/AFP/Getty Images PEDRO UGARTE AFP/Getty Images Copa America 2019 key players Arturo Vidal, Chile photo released by Photosport via Aton showing Chile's Jose Fuenzalida (L) celebrating with teammate Arturo Vidal after scoring against Haiti during the friendly match held at the La Portada stadium in La Serena, Chile, on June 06, 2019. (Photo by ANDRES PINA / Photosport Chile / AFP) / Chile OUT / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / ATON / PHOTOSPORT / ANDRES PINA" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTSANDRES PINA/AFP/Getty Images ANDRES PINA AFP/Getty Images

This, obviously, is brilliant. A little research reveals that Everton does indeed look a lot like Cebolinha, a character in a much-loved kids’ TV show. Mainly it’s that little tuft of hair, perched on top of his head like it was retreating to higher ground. Maybe Everton also mixes his Rs and Ls up in speech to hilarious effect.

More pertinently, there is just a lovely cartoon levity to the way the 23-year-old plays football, all jerky bursts of life and laugh-out-loud punchlines. It is this quality that has, in double-quick time, made him the chief attacking catalyst for this work-in-progress Brazil side.

There was a moment here, just after half-time, when Everton received the ball on the edge of the penalty box and was met by three Peru defenders. He paused, weighed up his options and kind of just... teleported through them. You half expected it to be accompanied by a ‘WHOOSH’ sound effect on the stadium PA. It was weird and genuinely funny.

By that point, Everton had already made his mark, both on the scoreboard – he fired home from the edge of the box to make it 3-0 after half an hour – and on the mental wellbeing of Peru’s Luis Advíncula, the poor soul tasked with marking him. The opening exchanges in their personal battle had the air of a prison hazing, and there was little let-up thereafter. The closest Advíncula got to his man all night was when he went full Vinnie Jones on him late on, earning a booking. Even then, Everton jumped back to his feet and almost scored from the resulting free-kick.

Everton has taken the Copa America by storm after jumpstarting Brazil into life (AP)

Brazil desperately needed this kind of thing. With Neymar absent, the Seleção had been short on creativity against Bolivia and showed little improvement in the stalemate with Venezuela, long spells of possession rarely leavened by moments of individual inspiration. They managed just a single shot on target in Salvador, much to coach Tite’s dismay.

The lack of spark prompted a bout of hand-wringing in the local media. “Brazilian players have given up on trying to beat their markers, one on one,” lamented respected columnist Juca Kfouri in Folha de São Paulo. “We torture ourselves by playing bureaucratic football, with no audacity.”

Everton is a one-man solution to that problem, always willing to shoot from range or dribble past his man. There is no buck-passing, no hiding. It took him just four minutes to find the net in Brazil’s Group A opener, and after he nearly swung the Venezuela game in the Seleção’s favour (VAR denied him a superb assist), there had been growing clamour for his inclusion at Arena Corinthians.

The Gremio forward is nicknamed 'Cebolinha' due to his likeliness to the children's TV show character (Reuters)

Tite gave the public what they wanted and was rewarded – not just with the goal, but with the crackle of anticipation that thrummed around the stadium every time Everton got the ball. Brazil, quite simply, look far more dangerous with him in the side. Only injury will prevent him starting the quarter-final; it is as if he has fast-forwarded through the long slog of getting to grips with international football in a week and a half.

Not that his impact will have come as a major surprise to those who have followed him at club level. He has been a sensation for Grêmio over the last couple of years, leapfrogging the much-touted Luan to become the key man for Renato Gaúcho, and playing a memorable role in the Tricolor’s 2017 Copa Libertadores success.

"Everton is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best players in South America, and maybe even the world,” club president Romildo Bolzan said last year. “He is exceptional.”

Fans clamouring for Everton to start against Venezuela were duly rewarded (Getty)

Predictably, he is also starting to attract interest from this side of the Atlantic: Manchester United have been linked in the past, and they are unlikely to be the only Premier League suitors if he continues to impress this summer. “I can easily see him playing in Europe,” said Brazil team-mate Filipe Luís last night. “He’s ready for it.”

There will be greater challenges ahead this summer, and no one thinks Everton is the finished product just yet. The Little Onion is still young and still has shallot to learn. But he has already made a remarkable impression at this tournament, jumpstarting Brazil’s campaign just when they needed it most.