It could only be Brazil for Andreas Pereira.
The 28-year-old was born and raised in Duffel, a suburb of Antwerp in Belgium, and the avenue to represent the country of his birth has always been open. He played for Belgium’s youth sides up to the under-17s but, even though he went on to play for Brazil’s senior team, the chance to switch allegiance remained. His single cap for Brazil, against El Salvador in 2018, was a friendly, so the door to changing flag remained ajar.
As recently as last season, then-Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez enquired as to whether Pereira might be receptive to a call-up — but his dream has always been to play for the Selecao again. His father, Marcos Pereira, was a Brazilian footballer who moved to Belgium to build a career, but the family would return to their homeland each year to visit relatives in the city of Londrina, Parana State. Pereira grew up with Marcos’ influence and idolised Romario. His two dogs are named after famous Brazil internationals Zico and Cafu.
“I could have represented Belgium, but Brazil is in my heart,” he said, speaking after Fulham’s 3-0 win over Brighton. “My parents are Brazilian. My whole family is Brazilian.”
That is why his latest call-up, received last week, means so much to him, a “childhood dream”, as he described it in an interview last month with Brazilian outlet Globo. “It is very important,” he said. “I have to thank everyone at Fulham, the players, the manager because without them I wouldn’t be here. I found my happiness again.”
Pereira playing for Brazil in the Under-20s World Cup final in 2015 (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Pereira has needed to work to catch Brazil’s eye.
He had starred for Brazil en route to the final of the 2015 Under-20s World Cup in New Zealand. He scored his team’s equaliser, only for Serbia to prevail in extra time.
When he was capped at senior level in 2018, he became the first Brazilian born outside the country to represent the team in more than a century. “If you have quality, you can be called up,” he said. “We’re playing in the Premier League, the best league in the world, so they are aware and they want the best players.”
That first call-up followed consistent playing time in La Liga during the 2017-18 season during loans from Manchester United at Granada and Valencia, but such regular senior involvement was a rarity during the first part of his career.
There were moments when a player who joined United at 15 appeared on the cusp of a breakthrough, most notably under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2018-19, but the Brazil dream appeared to be ebbing away with each false dawn.
The loan treadmill, across four clubs in total, would only take him so far.
It was not until he played in Brazil that the tide began to turn. For Flamengo, in 2021-22, he showcased his talents to the Brazilian public up close and it was also here, in Rio de Janeiro, that he worked under Dorival Junior, the coach who was appointed by Brazil in January. Dorival visited Fulham’s training ground, Motspur Park, last week.
“He was my coach for three months before I came here, at Flamengo, so that helped a lot,” said Pereira. “He knows me as a person and my qualities.
“He spoke with us at training. He said we had to be prepared, that he was watching us, and it made us a little bit more aware that it could be possible.”
Dorival Junior was appointed by Brazil in January (Wagner Meier/Getty Images)
Flamengo left an impression on Pereira and he had wanted to stay, perhaps to make amends for a mistake that cost his side the Copa Libertadores in 2022 — an untimely slip in extra time that enabled Dayverson to score the winning goal for Palmeiras. It blotted an otherwise encouraging loan spell, playing consistently in midfield. However, Flamengo did not have the funds to make the move permanent.
It would take little persuasion for him to join Fulham, led by coach Marco Silva, but joining them and stepping away from the safety net provided by United has been a turning point in his career.
Under Silva, Pereira has produced some of his best attacking outputs.
According to FBref, Pereira has averaged more shot-creating actions (4.4) per 90 minutes this season than at any time in his career. He has also shown he can hold his own consistently in the top flight of English football and the league’s global spotlight has ensured he has not been forgotten in Brazil.
“(The call-up) just confirms that the best thing I have done in my career was to come to Fulham, to play here, and try to add my qualities to the team,” said Pereira. “I am very happy everything is working out.”
Pereira started every match of last season before suffering the most serious injury of his career to date, a fractured ankle, against Manchester City in May. He required surgery but raced back to get fit, skipping a proper summer break, and was available for the first game of this season.
He has not caught the eye as much this year, a point reflected by the golden chance he spurned against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. Last year, he picked up 10 goal involvements (four goals and six assists) from 33 appearances but, this season, he has six goal involvements from 27 games. His role has shifted, playing more on the right side of midfield compared to the left.
He has remained one of the first names on Silva’s team sheet and much of that has to do with his work rate off the ball. He leads the team’s press.
“The way we set up, it’s not easy to be that midfielder closest to the striker, to start the organisation,” said the head coach last week. “Of all our midfielders, Andreas is probably the only one who can do that role really well.
“We start in a 4-3-3 and then press in a 4-4-2. It’s completely different off the ball. Andreas understands it. He is really smart, going from being the closest to the striker to being the third midfielder when they beat the pressure. He has the energy to do it and because of that we need to have him on the pitch, even if he’s not performing at his best level.”
Pereira has played a part in every match this season for Fulham and remains at the heart of their creative output, which has taken time to recalibrate since the departure of Aleksandar Mitrovic. He has created the most chances (67; 27 more than anyone else in the team) and is vital from set plays. No player in the Premier League has taken more corners that have resulted in a shot from the first contact than Pereira this season. “That is crucial for us,” said Silva.
All of this has persuaded Brazil to re-open the door to Pereira.
The national side are trying to refind their again after a poor start to World Cup qualifying and a subsequent change in head coach. They are well-stocked in defensive midfield positions but are looking for players who can link midfield and attack, particularly in the absence of Neymar. They have Lucas Paqueta, who is thriving at West Ham, but the options are not plentiful.
The upcoming friendlies against Spain and England present an opportunity for Pereira to make a case for a place at this summer’s Copa America. After waiting so long for the call, he now has the chance to fulfil his dream.
“That’s what I want (to reach the Copa),” he said. “To do my job like here at Fulham with the national team and hopefully get another call-up.
“The most important thing is to prepare and to win. We are Brazil — we want to win everything.”
(Top photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
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