To play in the English Premier League and then make his Brazil debut is a “childhood dream” come true for Wesley.
The Aston Villa forward is set to earn his first cap for Brazil in the friendlies against Argentina in Saudi Arabia on Friday and South Korea at the Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi next Tuesday.
“I always been dreaming of this moment and it’s become a reality,” Wesley said after the team’s training session at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
“The players and the technical staff gave me a very warm reception when I arrived here in Abu Dhabi. This is not one and all for me, I have more dreams, like to play for Brazil in the World Cup. But this is a great start.”
Wesley, 22, began his career at Brazilian side Itabuna before moving to Trencin in the Slovak Super Liga and subsequently Club Brugge where he won two league titles and named the Belgian young player of the year in 2018.
“I had a great time at Brugge,” he said. “I adapted quickly and played more than 100 games. I won both the best young player and best player awards.
“In the Premier League, I got more exposure and [so] selected for Brazil. In England, they compare me with Didier Drogba and Diego Costa, and I agree with them. My physique matches them but I’m fast on the pitch despite being tall. This is my characteristics.
“In Brazil, I didn’t have opportunities so I decided to go to Europe to try my luck. Thank god, things started to happen to me and I’m now the player I wanted to be.”
Wesley revealed the first person he called was his mother when he was selected for Brazil. His father died from a brain tumour when Wesley was aged just nine.
“My mom was the one who helped all the way through after the death of my father,” he said. “She took me to the grounds and watched me play football.”
Wesley said he loved the weather in Abu Dhabi and was looking forward to the two friendlies.
“I don’t like the cold weather in England and it was perfect weather when I arrived in Abu Dhabi,” he said.
“Brazil versus Argentina is one of the biggest derbies in the world. It would be another great moment for me, if I’m picked to play in this game.”
Brazil teammate Willian, who plays for Villa’s Premier League rivals Chelsea, this week said Wesley has adapted well to English football.
“He’s doing great, I’ve been following his games a little,” Willian told Globo Esporte. “He is a player who is very well adapted, looks like he’s been in England for a while, scoring goals. I hope he can be happy in the Brazilian team too.”
Joining Wesley at the post-training press conference was another debutant in Rodrygo, the 18-year-old forward who is making a huge impact at Spanish giants Real Madrid.
“I have been a professional only for two years and I never imaged I would get a call up from Brazil this fast,” he said.
“Everything has come so fast for me. There are several big names in this squad but I’m prepared and ready to take up any role in the team.
“I can play in the centre and on both sides, and manager Tite will decide where to fit me in this line-up.”
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Teaching in coronavirus times
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
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Lewis Hamilton in 2018
Australia 2nd; Bahrain 3rd; China 4th; Azerbaijan 1st; Spain 1st; Monaco 3rd; Canada 5th; France 1st; Austria DNF; Britain 2nd; Germany 1st; Hungary 1st; Belgium 2nd; Italy 1st; Singapore 1st; Russia 1st; Japan 1st; United States 3rd; Mexico 4th
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Winner Woven, Harry Bentley, David Simcock.
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Winner Fore Left, William Buick, Doug O’Neill.
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Winner Rusumaat, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.
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Winner Benbatl, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.
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The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
