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Lula asks to exclude Vinicius, Rodrygo, and Raphinha from the Brazilian national team

Lula asks to exclude Vinicius, Rodrygo, and Raphinha from the Brazilian national team

The president requests that only players who play in the country be called up, citing the "lack of stars" abroad

Pedro Rodríguez

Madrid

Sábado, 12 de octubre 2024, 17:30

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The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has sparked a major controversy by suggesting that the national team should only call up players who play in Brazilian football, leaving out international stars like Vinicius, Rodrygo, and Raphinha. According to Lula, footballers playing abroad "are not stars" and do not offer a higher level than local players, which has generated a wide debate in Brazil.

During a radio interview, a day after the Brazilian national team's victory against Chile by 1-2 in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, Lula stated: "Those who are outside are not better than those who are here." In that victory, the goals were scored by Luiz Henrique and Igor Jesus, both players from Botafogo in Rio de Janeiro, which, according to Lula, shows that local players can play a leading role in the national team.

Lula also revealed that he met with Ednaldo Rodrigues, president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), to present this proposal to him, suggesting that the national team should focus on footballers playing in the country. If this idea is implemented, major European football figures like Vinicius, Rodrygo, Éder Militao and Endrick (Real Madrid), Raphinha (Barcelona), Alisson Becker (Liverpool), Ederson Moraes (Manchester City), and Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal) would be excluded from future call-ups.

The president of Brazil, who is an ardent supporter of Corinthians from Sao Paulo, emphasized that, in his opinion, there are currently no players at the level of legends like Garrincha or Romario in international football, stating that young talents in Europe "are not yet stars." "In Brazil there are good players and of the same quality as those outside. So give opportunities to those who are here," Lula demanded, calling on the national team to take advantage of local talent.

Complex classification

This comment comes at a delicate moment for the Brazilian national team, which has not had its best performance in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Brazil, historically a giant of world football and five-time champion, has had an irregular performance with four wins, four losses and one draw in nine matches, occupying fourth place in the table. Although South America qualifies six teams directly and one additional goes to a playoff, Canarinha's situation has raised concerns among fans and experts.

Lula's proposal has provoked a mixed reaction in Brazil. On one hand, some sectors agree that Brazilian football continues to produce great talents and that local clubs should receive more attention. However, many others criticize the suggestion of excluding players who have proven their worth in the world's most competitive leagues. Vinicius, for example, is seen as the big favorite to win the Ballon d'Or, which casts doubt on Lula's claim about the quality of Brazilian footballers abroad.

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todoalicante Lula asks to exclude Vinicius, Rodrygo, and Raphinha from the Brazilian national team