Barcelona winger Raphinha has stated that he was close to accepting a call-up from the Italian national team before ultimately representing Brazil. The 28-year-old made his debut for the Brazil national team in October 2021, but he claimed he could have played for Italy at Euro 2020, which was held in the summer of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Raphinha was eligible to don the famous Azzurri jersey through his father, who is of Italian descent. During an interview with journalist Isabela Pagliari, Raphinha said he was on the verge of joining Italy, with midfielder Jorginho calling him constantly to convince him to switch allegiances.
Italy won the 2020 European Championships after defeating England in the final via penalty shootout.
Since making his first bow with the Brazil national team, Raphinha has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in 33 appearances across competitions.
In March, Raphinha said he considered leaving Barcelona after the 2024 Copa America. The winger joined Barça from Leeds United in 2022 but struggled for form in his first two seasons at the Catalan club. Consequently, he found himself on the chopping block.
However, a bright start to life under Hansi Flick has seen Raphinha cement his position as a key player for Barcelona. Speaking to Globo Esporte, the former Leeds man said he thought about leaving La Blaugrana as he wasn’t settled in Catalonia. He said (via GOAL):
While Robert Lewandowski leads the goal-scoring charts (40 goals) for Barcelona this season, Raphinha has the most goal contributions (56).
An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel’s journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles’ fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium’s incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final.
Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.
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