A lot was made about England snubbing Patrick Bamford last week, and while the 27-year-old striker has every right to feel aggrieved about not being handed his first cap, there’s another Leeds player who is surely expecting his first call-up soon.
Indeed, it’s hard to believe that Raphinha hasn’t been called up by Brazil yet, and while Bamford faces an uphill battle to be selected for England, it’s surely a case of when and not if for Raphinha and Brazil.
The winger is simply too good to not get international recognition. He’s got six goals and five assists for the Whites this term, and he’s catching the eye of some of Europe’s top clubs, with the likes of Liverpool and Bayern Munich reportedly looking at him.
You don’t attract interest from clubs of that calibre unless you’re a top player, and you have to imagine that Brazil are also watching, especially when you consider the calibre of player who has been called up by the five-time World Cup winners lately.
Indeed, Tite’s side are a long way away from the star-studded teams of the 1960s and early 2000s, with the likes of Everton Ribeiro and Thiago Galhardo being called up lately, who with all due respect, aren’t the grandest of names and they haven’t performed on a consistent basis in a league as strong as the Premier League like Raphinha has.
Leeds having a Brazil international in their ranks would have sounded wholly ridiculous a year ago, but an incredible transformation under Marcelo Bielsa and some world-class recruitment by Victor Orta may make that a reality sooner rather than later.
Bamford may be waiting a while yet before his England nod, but Raphinha’s first Brazil cap is surely only just around the corner.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
