Colina's own! Rayan matches Coutinho's Brazil mark | OneFootball

Vasco once again has a youth academy product called up to compete in a World Cup. In the official squad list released this Monday (18) by coach Carlo Ancelotti, forward Rayan, currently at Bournemouth, was confirmed as one of the 26 names who will seek Brazil’s sixth world title in North America. With this call-up, the 19-year-old became the second player developed at São Januário to play in a World Cup for the Brazil National Team this century.

The call-up saw the youngster match the feat of Philippe Coutinho, who came through at Vasco and represented the country at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Midfielder Andrey Santos, another jewel from the club who had been involved with the coaching staff’s cycle in recent months, was ultimately left out of the final list announced at the Museum of Tomorrow. Rayan’s confirmation rewards the player’s immediate impact in European football since his transfer.

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The numbers behind Rayan’s historic sale at Vasco

The forward was sold to English football in January this year, in what became the biggest sale in Vasco’s history. The deal with Bournemouth was completed for a total of 35 million euros, with 28.5 million fixed and another 6.5 million euros tied to performance-related bonuses. The club’s board kept financial control of the operation and received around 25 million euros up front, giving the institution’s coffers some breathing room.

Rayan’s quick adaptation to the Premier League was the decisive factor in convincing Carlo Ancelotti to stamp his passport for the World Cup. In just 13 official matches for the British club, the young forward scored 5 goals and provided 2 assists for his teammates. Those numbers caught the attention of the national team staff, who were looking for a player with pace and dribbling ability to refresh Brazil’s attack.

The reflection of Philippe Coutinho and the pride at São Januário

The new call-up’s journey is very similar to that of Philippe Coutinho, who also left Vasco at a young age and established himself as one of the country’s best players at the 2018 World Cup. The striker’s presence on the official list restores international prestige to the youth ranks of Colina, which had not seen a club-developed player in the tournament since Russia. The board celebrated the achievement on social media, highlighting the importance of the technical and personal development offered within the club.

The player’s focus now turns to the final preparations for the national team’s tournament debut, scheduled for next month. Vasco is monitoring the growth of its sporting asset and projects future profits through the FIFA solidarity mechanism in later transfers. Rayan’s call-up crowns the technical planning behind a gem who took his first steps in the club’s futsal program and now reaches the top of international football.

Rayan in action for Brazil in the friendly against Croatia — Photo: Julio Aguilar/AFP

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