Rayan thrilled with first call-up to the senior Brazil squad | OneFootball

Rayan was thrilled with his first call-up to the Senior Brazilian National Team, in an interview with CBF TV right after his presentation to the Amarelinha. In Orlando for the friendlies against France and Croatia, the 19-year-old forward celebrated the opportunity and revealed that “he had been waiting for this moment.”

“I am very happy and very grateful. It’s a childhood dream coming true, not just for me, but for my wife and my family. I went through the U-15, U-17, and U-20 National Teams and now I’m on the Senior Team. It was a moment I was waiting for. I knew I was on the preliminary list, but I didn’t know it would actually happen. I was very happy at the time and I’m still very happy today. It was a dream for me,” he celebrated.

A newcomer to this call-up, the Rio native is a veteran in Brazil’s youth categories. Having played for the U-15 team and with a victorious history in the U-17 and U-20 teams—he was South American U-17 champion in 2023 and U-20 champion in 2025—he said he hopes to maintain this winning trajectory with the Senior National Team.

“My time with the Youth National Teams was victorious. I was South American champion with the U-17s, and also with the U-20s. I hope to win with the Senior National Team as well and continue down this path,” he stated.

Rayan talks with Cícero Souza and Rodrigo Caetano at the hotel where the Brazilian National Team is staying in OrlandoCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

Revealed by Vasco, Rayan was one of the protagonists of the 2025 season for the Cruzmaltino, who reached the final of the Copa Betano do Brasil. His good form and offensive qualities such as speed and finishing caught the attention of Bournemouth, who signed him in January this year. Since arriving at the English club, he has played eight games, starting in seven, scoring two goals and providing one assist.

“Vasco was very impactful in my journey. Since last year, I did a very good job and now I’m at Bournemouth. I got there and I’m doing very important work, playing well, and the coach (Ancelotti) saw that and gave me this opportunity. Evanilson, who is Brazilian, the club staff, the president, and the coach, who is Spanish, have helped me a lot. Since I arrived, the club welcomed me very well, I arrived scoring goals, providing assists, and that is leading me down the right path,” he explained.

Rayan with the South American U-20 champion’s trophyCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

As he stood out at Vasco and in his early days at Bournemouth, Rayan’s name was among the most requested by fans for the Amarelinha. He emphasized how happy he was to receive this affection and spoke about the importance of this opportunity for his career.

“I was very happy with the affection from the Brazilian fans. I received many messages on social media and I am very honored by that. I hope to bring them joy,” he said gratefully.

“It’s a very important opportunity for my career. It’s the last preparation before the World Cup. I hope to do a good job here and, God willing, be called up,” he added.

Rayan was one of the pillars of the 2023 South American U-17 titleCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

This Monday (23rd), Rayan will have his first training session with the Senior Brazilian National Team, ahead of the friendlies with France, on Thursday (26th), and Croatia, on the 31st, and he commented on his expectations of starting to work with coach Carlo Ancelotti.

“The Mister is a very successful coach, he has already won many titles throughout his career and now he is hoping to win a title with the Brazilian National Team, which is the most prestigious jersey in the world, and I am very anxious to work with him. I hope everything goes well,” he concluded.

Rayan greets Carlo Ancelotti at his presentation to the Brazilian National Team in OrlandoCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

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