Now one of Brazil’s key player’s Barcelona’s star man Raphinha has revealed he almost signed up to play for Italy.
The winger didn’t debut for his birth country until 2021 and before that the nation of his father, Italy, made a play to sign him.
“I was close to accepting the call-up to the Italian national team,” he told Isabela Pagliari on her YouTube channel.
“I was supposed to go to the European Championship, which they won in 2020. I was practically ready to go.
“Luckily, my passport didn’t arrive.”
He added: “At that time, people from the Italian national team called me. Jorginho called me constantly. The Italian coaching staff had an incredible project for me , something that really caught my attention.
“But at the same time, deep down, I still had a little bit of hope of being able to wear the Brazil shirt. And luckily, my Italian passport didn’t arrive in time!”
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