“Never saw it coming”: Evelin's FIFA Series call-up completes rise | OneFootball

There were only two days of preparation with the Brazil Under-20 National Team in Kansas, where the squad will play two friendlies against the United States, but this Friday (10), a piece of news completely changed forward Evelin’s path. Called up at the last minute by head coach Arthur Elias, the player left the American city this afternoon and headed back to Brazil. The expectation is that she will report this Saturday to the senior national team, which will compete in the FIFA Series.

The tournament will be held at Arena Pantanal, in Cuiabá, and besides South Korea this Saturday (11), Brazil will face Zambia on the 14th and Canada on the 18th. All matches will kick off at 10:30 p.m. Brasília time (9:30 p.m. local time).

Evelin was called up to take the place of forward Jheniffer, who suffered an injury to her left foot and was ultimately withdrawn from the squad. The unexpected call-up was also an emotional surprise for the player.

“I was very happy when I heard the news. I really wasn’t expecting it, I imagined this would happen further down the road. But it happened, and God is so wonderful. I’m very grateful and very happy for this moment,” she said.

Evelin in training with the Under-20 National Team for friendlies against the USA in Kansas (USA)Credits: Fabio Souza/CBF

Born in Peruíbe, on the coast of São Paulo, Evelin built a solid path through the youth ranks. A standout at Santos, she was a regular call-up by coach Rilany Silva for the Under-17 National Team and shone at the South American Championship for the category at the beginning of 2025, finishing as Brazil’s top scorer with six goals.

That performance drew attention and opened important doors. Evelin took part in training periods with the senior national team and, shortly afterward, experienced another career milestone: playing in the Under-17 World Cup in Morocco, where Brazil achieved a historic fourth-place finish.

“I also never imagined I would play in a World Cup in Morocco. It was always a dream to play for the national team, both the senior side and the youth categories, and seeing that becoming reality is very special,” she said.

Evelin scored the first goal of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2025Credits: Fabio Souza/CBF

Even with the quick transition between levels, the forward has shown maturity in taking on the new challenge. After playing in the Under-17 World Cup in October 2025, contributing to the Under-20 National Team’s South American title in February, and now earning a call-up to the senior squad, Evelin is going through a remarkable run in her career. The expectation is that she will make the most of this unprecedented opportunity alongside players she admires.

“I’m very excited to meet the other players. I didn’t expect this moment to come now, especially with the senior national team. I’m going to work very hard, do my best, and represent all the girls who were with me on the Under-20 team,” she added.

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