Tables turned? Brazil track wonderkid and could gazump Italy; why💡

Tables turned? Brazil track wonderkid and could gazump Italy; why💡

Home to many great stars over the decades, Brazil has become a major "exporter" of players — of all technical levels — to several countries around the world.

For different reasons, such as dual nationality or long-term residency, Brazilian athletes of all ages wear the jerseys of other national teams to compete in major tournaments, such as the World Cup, for example.

But apparently, the tables have turned! That is because the CBF is monitoring Samuele Inácio Piá, an 18-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward who holds Italian-Brazilian citizenship.

The information comes from Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, a reporter for Sky Sport.

In fact, according to Di Marzio, Barcelona and PSG have been sending scouts to Dortmund's Bundesliga matches to closely watch the forward's performances.

Born in 2008 in Bergamo and developed at Atalanta, Samuele Inácio scored 23 goals in 39 matches for Italy’s national team across the under-15 to under-19 levels.

Specifically for Italy’s U-17 side, the forward scored an impressive 13 goals in 20 matches.

With Italy set to miss its third straight World Cup — a situation that even led to the resignation of the president of the Italian Football Federation — it is possible that the four-time world champion national team will undergo a major overhaul, perhaps opening up space for young prospects like Samuele Inácio.

However, the CBF is keeping a close eye on the 18-year-old forward’s situation and, after the 2026 World Cup, could try to pull a fast one on Italy if coach Carlo Ancelotti calls him up — and he agrees to the switch — for friendlies ahead of the 2030 World Cup.

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