Jorginho, Rafael Tolói and Emerson Palmieri have already joined the Italy national team. However, Mancini wishes to cap three new Brazilian players to play for Italy in the European World Cup Play-offs. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at the latest possible entrants.
Last week, 29-year-old Brazilian João Pedro was called up by coach Roberto Mancini as the new player for the Italian national team for the 2022 World Cup play-off games against Sweden.
The former Santos player joins Rafael Tolói, Jorginho and Emerson Palmieri to represent the Italian national team in the 2022 World Cup Qualifier. In addition to the names mentioned, he can also call Luiz Felipe from Lazio and Roger Ibañez from Roma, both of whom still have dreams of playing for Brazil. The question that remains is who are they and why is Italy watching them? In this article, Sambafoot will show you more.
João Pedro, the newest recruit
Let’s start with the new member of the class. João Pedro’s season at Cagliari-ITA so far is filling the eyes. The player remains the top scorer from Brazil in the top five European leagues. This year, in Serie A, he scored has bagged eight goals from 14 games. Regardless, his individual efforts have not done so much to help his team’s course.
The team is in relegation, in the 19th with nine points. Since 2014 in Sardinia, João Pedro has scored 80 goals and is currently fourth in the top scorer in the Italian Serie A.
Born in the small town of Ipatinga, in Minas Gerais, he started working for Atlético Mineiro. However, his irregularity made him get Palermo tickets. In 2010, he stayed for only two years and was loaned to the clubs Vitória de Guimarães (2011) and Peñarol (2012). Later, in the same year, he returned to Brazil to work at Santos. Little used, he joined Estoril Praia and stayed there, until he went to Cagliari to make history.
João Pedro, throughout the week, showed his contentment in wearing the blue shirt.
“I’d be a liar if I said that it wasn’t pleasing,” Joao Pedro told Sky Sport Italia after scoring in Cagliari’s 2-2 draw with Sassuolo.
Luiz Felipe, Roger Ibañez, brasucas from rival teams in Rome
As mentioned earlier, Italy’s current coach Mancini has his eye on two Brazilians, both defenders and playing in Rome. Those names are Luiz Felipe (Lazio) and Roger Ibañez (Rome).
Regardless, they keep their dream of playing for amarelinha (the little yellow in Portuguese), the strong harassment of one of the main teams in the world to change their minds.
Born in São Paulo state, Luiz Felipe, in turn, arrived at Lazio in 2016, hired from Ituano. His great impressions and matches caught the attention of big clubs in Europe like Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
After a one-season loan with Salernitana, he has returned to his time in the Italian capital and has since made 116 appearances and two goals scored in Rome’s blue time shirt.
Roger Ibañez is reportedly in the middle of a battle between Brazil and Italy pushing for the 23-year-old. The yellow jersey had already invited him for the Tokyo Olympics which he declined in order to work with Mourinho in preseason.
With over 71 games, the boy from Canela, Rio Grande do Sul, arrived in Italy for Atalanta in 2019, coming from Fluminense. He spent a short time in Bergamo and arrived in the Italian capital gaining everyone’s trust.
His great chemistry with The Special One has made a huge impact on him as the Portuguese technician believes the defender to be a point of reference for the Giallorossi for years to come.
It is necessary to mention that with 29 Brazilians, the Italian Championship has eight fewer than last season, and the lowest number since the 2000/01 season.
Even so, the Italian national team is taking advantage of the players with no space in the Tite team and reinforcing its own. Does this explain the high number of players called up in the Italian national team?
However, the question remains as to whether any of these players stand a chance at making the XI with the Seleção. Regardless, it remains a sore sight to see the country miss out on potential future stars to their European rivals.
