Eight months after first call-up, Tainá Maranhão nears 10 caps | OneFootball

Tainá Maranhão trains with the Women’s National Team for friendlies against the United StatesCredits: Lívia Villas Boas/Staff Images/CBF

A representative of the new generation of Brazilian women’s football, Tainá Maranhão could reach 10 appearances for the Brazilian National Team next Saturday (6) against the United States. The young forward, who started playing football at 15, has progressed steadily in her appearances with the Canarinha since her first call-up to the U-17 team in 2019.

In October last year, she made her debut on coach Arthur Elias’ squad list. Today, she has five call-ups to the senior national team and nine appearances. Of the six matches the Canarinha have played this year, Maranhão found the net in three: in the friendly against Costa Rica and in the matches against South Korea and Zambia in the FIFA Series.

In a press conference this Wednesday (3), she said she is happy to be experiencing this stage of her career, especially given her age — she turns 22 in August. “Everyone says I’m one of the youngest, and I take that as a good thing. Everything I see from the more experienced players, I try to take for myself and use as learning,” said Tainá.

Tainá Maranhão and Raissa Bahia in the Women’s National Team’s second training session at CT Joaquim GravaCredits: Lívia Villas Boas/Staff Images/CBF

The press conference took place after the second day of training for the friendlies against the United States, scheduled for Saturday (6) in São Paulo and Tuesday (9) in Fortaleza. One of Palmeiras’ key players, with whom she has already won major titles such as the two-time São Paulo state championship and the Copa do Brasil, Maranhão does not feel the weight of expectations.

“I’m happy even because of the expectations. And I’m going to work to meet everyone’s expectations,” she assured. In the squad called up for these FIFA international window matches, the forward has great club teammates alongside her: Raissa Bahia, who is beginning to carve out space with the Canarinha, with two appearances; and Bia Zaneratto, a veteran with 130 matches.

“Everyone knows I’m very inspired by Bia, but there’s also Guti (Amanda Gutierres), who keeps me in line,” she confessed, with the familiarity of someone who played alongside them for two years. “I think this reunion is really cool; we build closeness. Everything we’ve experienced adds a lot to what we’re living with the National Team. It’s all very new to me, but I’m loving it,” said the player, whose speed and intensity on the field are already reflected in her numbers with the Canarinha.

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