Zenit defender Douglas Santos spoke in an exclusive interview with Telecomasia.net about his dream of playing for the Brazil national team again.
– Recently, there was a discussion about the possibility of you playing for the Russian national team. Are you considering this option?
– I'll repeat what I've said before and what honestly said right when this discussion came up: I haven’t lost my dream of returning to the Brazil national team. This is a very big dream for me. I’ve already been an Olympic champion, and for any Brazilian footballer, one of the main dreams in life is to wear the Brazil jersey on the field. My parents have the same dream; they eagerly want to see me in the national team kit. As long as this dream lives in me, I will give my all in the matches for Zenit and try to show my best to fulfill my dream of returning to the Brazil national team.
Last autumn, Santos obtained a Russian passport according to a decree signed by the president Vladimir Putin and is no longer considered a foreign player in the Russian championship.
In March 2025, the defender was included in the preliminary list of players for Brazil's national team as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Previously, Santos played one friendly match for the national team back in 2016.
