PSV captain Mauro Junior earns first Brazil senior squad call-up
PSV Eindhoven captain Mauro Junior has joined Carlo Ancelotti’s senior Brazil squad for the Australia and India tour, ending a six-year wait to return to the international set-up and putting him in line for a first full cap.
Key takeaways
- The 27-year-old PSV defender is part of Brazil’s squad for matches in Townsville, Brisbane and Kolkata.
- Mauro Junior had previously indicated he could seek Dutch nationality with a view to representing the Netherlands.
- He played for Brazil from Under-15 through to Under-23 level between 2013 and 2020.
- Brazil meet Australia on Friday, play the Socceroos again on September 29, then face India on October 3.
- The PSV skipper has made more than 200 appearances for the Dutch club and won four Eredivisie championships.
From Brazil No. 10 to PSV full-back
Born in Palmital, Mauro Junior arrived at PSV from Desportivo Brasil in 2017 and has developed from an attacking midfielder into a dependable full-back in the Netherlands.
He wore Brazil’s No. 10 shirt during his youth-team years but believes the positional switch has strengthened his game. He said midfield and full-back are completely different roles: a midfielder often receives possession with an opponent behind him, while a defender more regularly plays facing the opposition.
Mauro Junior named Marcelo, Roberto Carlos and Branco as the Brazilian full-backs who shaped his view of the role. His time in European football, he said, has also given him the tactical understanding needed for the demands of the senior international stage.
“Putting on this shirt brings an enormous feeling,” he said. “I am ready to give everything I have to help the team. Defending Brazil is always an honour because everyone understands what this badge means.”
What happens next
Brazil begin the new international cycle against Australia on Friday at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville. Ancelotti’s team then return to Brisbane for a second meeting with the Socceroos on September 29.
The trip ends against India at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on October 3. Mauro Junior wants Brazil to take three wins from the schedule as he attempts to turn his call-up into a lasting place in Ancelotti’s plans.
