Players have similar stories about why they wear blue and not green and yellow. Learn about the trajectory of the Brazilians below
Anyone who sees the intense way that Jorginho, Emerson Palmieri and Rafael Tolói they sing the Italian anthem before the games of the Eurocup, like any colleague, you could believe that all three were born in the European country. However, the three footballers are of Brazilian origin.
This Sunday, the trident can help the ‘Azzurra’ win the tournament for the second time in history and break their 53-year drought of European titles. The rival in the final will be England.
All three players have similar stories about why they wear blue and not green and yellow. Learn about the trajectory of the Brazilians below:
Rafael Tolói
Tolói stood out in recent seasons with Atalanta, who fought for the top positions in the Italian Championship, in addition to reaching the quarterfinals of the Champions League last year and the eighth in 2021.
In recent interviews, the defender said he expected a call – which never happened – from Tite, the Brazil coach. The defender became the starter of the U-20 team that won the South American title and also in the 2009 World Youth Championship, losing the final on penalties to Ghana.
Without Tite’s call, Tolói became Italian and was called up for the first time by coach Roberto Mancini in March 2021. In the current Euro, Raphael He has four games (one of them as a starter).
Rafael Tolói played more than 130 games and scored six goals for São Paulo. However, the defender suffered from the team’s many ups and downs. Despite being grateful to the club, the defender told ESPN in 2015 that he was upset about some situations.
“I think the burden on me was normal, but the way things were happening within the club, it was too much. There came a time when I played well and they said that I was doing nothing but my obligation, and when the team did not win, the defense was always to blame, it was always mine, “said the defender.
After five months on loan at Roma, the defender was bought by Atalanta in the 2015/16 season.
Palmieri
Emerson Palmieri began defending the Italian team in 2017. He is one more who had opportunities in the youth categories of the Brazilian team, reaching a U-17 World Cup. However, he was never considered for the senior team.
“You go where you feel dear. In Italy, I had been playing for Roma for two or three years and I was at my best. I waited seven months, we are not talking about seven days, but months, that’s a lot. I knew about it. interest of the Italian national team. I respect it, but I think I made the right decision, “he told ESPN in 2019.
Born in Santos, the player is the younger brother of left-back Giovanni Palmieri (ex-Cruzeiro). Fan of Marcelo (Real Madrid) and Alex Sandro (Juventus), the boy won many titles in Santos, including the São Paulo Cup in 2013.
Although with outstanding talent, Emerson It suffered from a lack of space in the professional team. “There was Léo and then Mena, Guilherme Santos and others came. The competition was very great. I was not very lucky to have minutes because I was young, but I always did the best I could,” said the player who played 33 games in Santos.
The idea of moving to Europe came after a disappointment. “I played a lot with Oswaldo de Oliveira, but I had an injury and I was out for two months. When I came back I was upset that I had returned as a substitute. Palermo was interested in a loan and, as I have dual citizenship, I accepted,” he said.
The player subsequently spent three seasons in Rome before arriving at Chelsea in 2017, where he won important titles: Europa League, FA Cup and Champions League.
Jorginho
He is the only one in the trident who has never played professionally in Brazil, having built almost his entire career in Italy. Despite having shone for several seasons in the Napoli jersey, the defensive midfielder was never called up by the Brazilian team.
“The Brazilian team I have always seen it as something very distant, since I never played in Brazil professionally and I came here when I was 15 years old. So, when Italy opened its doors to me, I couldn’t close them. The factor of having arrived very young Italy weighed a lot, “Jorginho told ESPN in 2018.
When he finally caught the attention of CBF, he received an invitation to play with the Azzurra, in 2017.
“There was a conversation with Edu Gaspar. Actually, this topic was a lot at the moment. Why? The team had to Casemiro Y Fernandinho, who are two excellent players. There were three players for two seats. Jorginho has the quality to play internationally. As he has the Italian passport in hand, he could choose one or the other team, “explained Jorginho’s agent, João Santos, to ESPN in 2018.
The midfielder made his debut for Italy in the World Cup play-off against Sweden. Since then, he has been a constant presence in the team and a highlight of the current edition of the European Championship.
Born in Imbituba-SC, Jorginho started in soccer thanks to his mother, Maria Tereza, who was his first coach. At 16, the midfielder moved to Italy to play for Hellas Verona and lived for a time in a former monastery.
After being loaned to Sambonifacese, of the Italian third division, he returned to Verona and stood out. After two and a half seasons, he moved to Rafa Benítez’s Napoli. Since the arrival of Maurizio Sarri in 2015, the Brazilian player has gained prominence in Europe.
The 29-year-old was even coveted by various clubs in England before signing with Chelsea, a club with which he won the Europa League and the Champions League.