Douglas Santos: “We have to start this new cycle on the right foot” | OneFootball

Left-back Douglas Santos stressed that the Brazilian National Team’s goal is to get off “on the right foot” and with “good results” against Australia and India in this new cycle of the Qualifiers, Copa América, and World Cup. He joined the Seleção on the morning of this Sunday (20) and was the first player called up by Carlo Ancelotti to arrive in the Australian city of Brisbane.

“They will be interesting matches, and we have to start this new cycle on the right foot, playing well and, God willing, getting good results,” he emphasized in an interview with CBF TV.

Included in the most recent call-ups, including this year’s World Cup, the 32-year-old defender did not hide his happiness at being selected for yet another opportunity to represent his country and highlighted that he seeks to make the most of every chance in order to “leave his mark.”

“I’m very grateful to God for another opportunity. After the World Cup, being in the first call-up of this new cycle was very important to me. Once again, I hope to make the most of the opportunity that the Mister is giving me so that I can enjoy these moments. Every time I come, I try to enjoy it as much as possible to leave my mark,” he said.

Douglas Santos was the first player to report in Brisbane for the friendlies against Australia and India during the FIFA international windowCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

In his first squad list since the last World Cup, Ancelotti called up nine newcomers (Otávio, Pedro Morisco, Jair, Arthur Dias, Matheuzinho, Mauro Júnior, Martinelli, Breno Bidon, and Gabriel Bontempo), a situation Douglas himself experienced in 2013, the year of his first call-up. He has established himself with the Seleção and explained that he wants to pass on his experience to the newcomers.

“My experience with the National Team will help these young guys who are coming in for the first time, so that they feel comfortable and can enjoy themselves on the field, which is the most important thing. We know that the work on the pitch is what will give them more and more confidence to come back and feel good with us. I’ll pass that on to them so they can adapt as quickly as possible and live these days here happy and fulfilled,” he concluded.

Douglas Santos speaks with the National Team’s assistant doctor, Dr. Andreia Picanço, at the Seleção’s hotel in BrisbaneCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

With Douglas included in the squad, the Brazilian National Team will play two friendlies against Australia and one against India. Next Friday (25), they will face the Australians at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville at 7 a.m. Brasília time (8 p.m. local time), and on the 29th at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, also at 7 a.m. Brasília time (8 p.m. local time).

The first-ever meeting between the Brazilian National Team and India will take place on October 3 at 11 a.m. Brasília time (7:30 p.m. local time) at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium (known as Salt Lake) in the city of Kolkata.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.