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Jesus got his nickname ‘Sapinho’, <\/i>meaning Little Frog, from his grandfather when he was a child. Depending on who you ask,, external<\/span><\/a> it’s either because he made acrobatic saves as a goalkeeper, or because he had a very small body and a very big head.<\/p>\n He would also occasionally skip school to watch Japanese cartoon Dragon Ball Z.<\/p>\n In the show, protagonist Goku defeats baddies with a special move called Kamehameha which Jesus honours with his usual celebration of putting his wrists together, opening his palms and locking his arms out perpendicularly in front of him. <\/p>\n He’s had a lot of chances to perfect it. In 206 professional appearances he’s netted 70 goals.<\/p>\n Jesus started his career at Coritiba, a then Serie-B side based in Brazil’s eighth largest city.<\/p>\n As an 18-year-old he scored three goals in 24 appearances to help Coritiba secure promotion.<\/p>\n But, after initially struggling at a higher level, he left midway through the following campaign to join Emirati side Shabab Al-Ahli.<\/p>\n He spent four seasons in the Middle East, scoring 46 goals in 92 games, before returning to Brazil by joining Botafogo in July 2024.<\/p>\n There he’s excelled. He led the line as his side lifted the Serie A and Copa Libertadores titles last season.<\/p>\n Unsurprisingly, the scouting departments at numerous club around the world are on high alert.<\/p>\n Jesus even made his Brazil debut last October, scoring in a 2-1 World Cup qualifying win in difficult conditions in Chile.<\/p>\n South American football expert Tim Vickery called him, external<\/span><\/a> “the modern-day Drogba” after his goal against PSG, a side who had thrashed Inter Milan in the Champions League final just 20 days before.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n