In a stunning revelation, Barcelona star Raphinha has disclosed that he was on the verge of representing Italy at the 2020 European Championship, a tournament the Azzurri famously won. The Brazilian winger, now a key figure for both club and country, shared the intriguing story of how a delayed passport and a lingering hope to play for Brazil shaped his international career.
Speaking to journalist Isabela Pagliari on her YouTube channel, Raphinha explained that he was in advanced discussions with the Italian national team in 2020, when he was still playing for Leeds United in the Premier League. Eligible to play for Italy through his father, Rafael Dias Belloli, who is of Italian descent, Raphinha was courted by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) with what he described as an “amazing project.” The Italian staff, under then-manager Roberto Mancini, saw the dynamic winger as a potential addition to a squad that already included Italian-Brazilian players like Jorginho, Emerson Palmieri, and Rafael Toloi. “I was close to accepting the call-up to the Italy national team,” Raphinha admitted. “I would have gone to the European Championships that they won in 2020.”
The approach from Italy was compelling. Raphinha revealed that Jorginho, a key figure in the Euro 2020-winning squad, personally reached out to discuss the possibility. The Italian staff’s vision for his role in the team left a strong impression, and Raphinha was “basically set to go.” However, a crucial administrative hurdle stood in the way: his Italian passport. “Luckily, the passport didn’t arrive,” Raphinha said with a hint of relief. The delay proved to be a pivotal moment, as it allowed him to hold onto a faint hope of representing Brazil, his birth nation.
At the time, Raphinha had no guarantee of a call-up from Brazil. Yet, he clung to what he described as a “1% chance” of donning the iconic yellow jersey. That hope paid off when, in 2021, he earned his first senior call-up to the Brazilian national team, just months after the Euro 2020 tournament. Since then, Raphinha has become an integral part of Brazil’s squad, showcasing his speed, flair, and goal-scoring ability on the international stage. “I’m so grateful for how things turned out,” he told Pagliari, reflecting on the twist of fate that kept him from joining Italy’s historic triumph.
The revelation has sparked fascination among fans and pundits, who can only imagine how Raphinha’s presence might have added to Italy’s attacking arsenal during their Euro 2020 campaign. Italy’s victory, sealed in a dramatic penalty shootout against England at Wembley, marked their second European Championship title. Raphinha, then 28, could have been part of that legacy, potentially sharing the pitch with the likes of Federico Chiesa and Lorenzo Insigne. Instead, his journey took him to Brazil, where he has since established himself as a star.