After receiving his first call-up from Carlo Ancelotti during the March international break, Rayan began to see the World Cup as a realistic possibility. Although he played only 14 minutes in the friendly against Croatia, the Bournemouth forward still dreams of making the final squad for the tournament, which the Italian coach will announce on the 18th.
Rayan’s first interaction with Ancelotti left a strong impression. The young attacker, who had never spoken with the manager before, was able to chat with him in Portuguese. “It was the first time we met in person. I spoke Portuguese with him, and he speaks it very well—really, very well. You get a bit nervous because he’s a big figure, someone who has won everything at Real Madrid and everywhere he’s been. I felt fulfilled just meeting him,” Rayan said in an interview with the UOL program *Fala Aí – Edição de Copa*.
Beyond his encounter with Ancelotti, the former Vasco striker also worked closely with players he had previously only seen on TV. He did not hide his admiration and spoke humorously about Casemiro, the team’s veteran leader.
“Vinicius Júnior, Raphinha, Casemiro, Marquinhos—they all welcomed me really well. Casemiro has authority, he’s very serious, but also like a father figure. Everyone was very welcoming to me and also to Igor Thiago, who was called up for the first time too,” Rayan added.
The call-up itself came as a surprise to Rayan, who had no guarantee his name would be on the list. Now focused on the World Cup, the forward hopes to be surprised once again by earning a spot on Ancelotti’s final 26-man squad on the 18th.