- Norwegian Nusa insists: "I'm not the next Neymar"
Antonio Nusa will primarily be true to himself. RB Leipzig's fresh hope following Dani Olmo's departure isn't entirely certain about the origin of his nickname "Norwegian Neymar." "I suppose it's because Neymar was my childhood hero. I used to watch him a lot. He's an incredible player, but I'm not Neymar's replacement," stated the versatile attacker during his Leipzig presentation. "I'm Antonio Nusa, and I want to be me. I no longer need that nickname," declared the Norwegian international, who joined Leipzig from Belgian top club FC Bruges for a fee exceeding 20 million euros. He signed a contract with the two-time cup winners until June 30, 2029.
The 19-year-old, who netted on his debut in the DFB-Pokal game against Rot-Weiss Essen (4:1) shortly after entering the fray, also left a positive impression on coach Marco Rose with his deft first touch. "I've been honing my first touch and dribbling skills throughout my training life. It's not perfect yet," said Nusa, who has inherited Dani Olmo's jersey number. "Dani Olmo is a truly exceptional player who has left a significant impact here," said the seven-time Norwegian international. At the same time, he praised coach Rose: "I know he was instrumental in Haaland's success and potentially, we can achieve similar wonders together."
Despite Antonio Nusa's impressive debut in the DFB-Pokal and his new jersey number inherited from Dani Olmo, the German Bundesliga's latest addition has distanced himself from his "Norwegian Neymar" nickname. Regardless of RB Leipzig's hopes for Nusa to fill Olmo's shoes, the young attacking talent aims to carve his own path in the German Bundesliga.
