Bournemouth forward Rayan has taken another step towards a potential call-up to the Brazil national football team, with reports from Brazil claiming he has been included in Carlo Ancelotti’s preliminary squad list.
According to Globo Esporte, the 19-year-old made it to the “final round” ahead of Brazil’s March friendlies against France national football team and Croatia national football team in the United States.
The Brazilian Football Confederation has already informed clubs about players who could be called up, as required by FIFA regulations. The final squad of 26 names is expected to be announced next Monday in Rio de Janeiro.
Not really a surprise
Rayan’s inclusion in the preliminary list represents the first time he has appeared in Ancelotti’s plans for the senior national team.
Previous reports in Brazil had already suggested the national team staff view the youngster very positively. As we covered earlier, Rayan is very well regarded internally by Brazil’s coaching team.
“When they talk internally about the future, about what comes next, Rayan tops the list”, said a local journalist.
The plan to bring him into the Seleção was in motion long before he joined Bournemouth. But now it’s a fair consequence. The former Vasco da Gama academy product has made an explosive start to life in the Premier League.
His performances have reportedly caught the attention of Brazil’s coaching staff. In fact, the forward was also nominated for the Premier League’s Player of the Month award for February. That highlights the impact he has made early in his English career.
His emergence arrives at a moment when Brazil are searching for attacking alternatives. Rodrygo is expected to miss the World Cup due to a knee injury. It will force Ancelotti to explore new options in the attacking line.
What this means for Bournemouth
For Bournemouth, Rayan’s presence on Brazil’s preliminary list reinforces how quickly the youngster’s reputation is growing.
Only months after arriving in England, he is already attracting attention from one of the most competitive national teams in world football.
Even if a final call-up is not guaranteed, simply reaching Ancelotti’s pre-list shows the scale of the impact the teenager has made during the early stages of his Premier League career.
