“They righted an injustice”: Zico on Flamengo's Pedro call-up | OneFootball

Zico celebrated Pedro’s call-up for Brazil’s friendlies

Carlo Ancelotti announced, this Wednesday (09), the first squad list for friendlies after the World Cup. Pedro and Samuel Lino, from Flamengo, were included in the list. For Zico, the club’s greatest idol in history, the Italian corrected an injustice by not taking the number 9 to the World Cup.

“Great. Pedro should already have gone to the last World Cup. He is the best center forward Brazil has, he should have gone earlier. They corrected an injustice,” said Zico. Galinho’s remarks came while the idol was receiving the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from Candido Mendes University, becoming the first athlete to receive the honor from the university.

Pedro and Samuel Lino will be able to take part in three friendlies during the next FIFA international window. On the 25th and 29th of this month, Brazil will face Australia, first in Townsville and then in Brisbane, in Oceania. Afterwards, the squad will travel to Calcutta, where they will face India.

NEW CALL-UPS

In addition, Zico commented on the new names in the squad. One of the surprises was right back Matheuzinho, a product of Flamengo’s youth academy who currently plays for Corinthians. For Galinho, however, Ancelotti’s decision is nothing new.

— Bringing in new people who are playing here is encouraging. When Dorival took over the national team, after years he made it so there were more players from Brazil than from abroad. And he had two great matches against Spain and England. It’s encouraging. Italy is in the situation it is in because there are only foreigners playing there. That is a serious problem —, Zico added in an interview with ‘ge’.

WILL FLAMENGO HAVE ABSENCES?

Brazil’s last game in the FIFA international window will be on the 3rd, in India. The Brazilian league then resumes on October 8, at Vila Belmiro, against Santos. Therefore, Samuel Lino and Pedro should not be an issue for the match valid for the 29th round of the Brasileirão.

However, Flamengo may suffer from other call-ups. After all, Jorginho is on Italy’s preliminary list; Arrascaeta and Varela are certain names for Uruguay; Plata and Valencia are expected to be called up by Ecuador; Jorge Carrascal is a favorite to appear for Colombia. Finally, Joaquín Freitas has already appeared for the Argentina national team and could return.

AUTHOR’S OPINION

— It’s absurd to have a FIFA international window in the final stretch of the Libertadores and the Brasileirão. The players are celebrating, they’re happy, they deserve it, but what about Flamengo? All that’s left is to hope there are no injuries. Good luck to Pedro and Samuel Lino —, said Pedro Paulo Catonho, journalist for Coluna do Fla.

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