Brazilian winger Raphinha has revealed that he was on the brink of accepting a call-up to represent the Italian national team before ultimately choosing to play for Brazil.
In an interview with journalist Isabela Pagliari, shared on Monday, Raphinha discussed the pivotal moments leading up to his decision.
“I was very close to accepting the Italian national team call [ahead of Euro 2020]” he stated.
“I was essentially set to join the squad for the tournament they eventually won in 2020. Everything seemed aligned for my participation—until my Italian passport didn’t arrive in time.”
The Barcelona forward elaborated on the persistent interest from the Italian football authorities at the time, highlighting the connections he had with key figures in the national setup.
“During that period, members of the Italian national team were reaching out to me regularly. Jorginho, in particular, would call me often to discuss their plans. The Italian staff had developed an impressive project for me, one that captured my attention deeply,” he explained.
Despite the allure of joining a successful European squad, Raphinha revealed that a flicker of hope remained in his heart to don the Brazilian jersey.
“But at the same time, deep down, I still held onto that one per cent of hope that I could represent my country of birth. And fortunately, due to the delay with the processing of my Italian passport, that chance for Italy slipped away!” he remarked.
Since those pivotal moments, Raphinha has successfully made his mark on the international stage, fulfilling his dream of representing Brazil and showcasing his talent on a global platform.