For much of the past decade, Douglas Santos did not pay attention to the call-ups to Brazil’s national team. This was to avoid the disappointment of not seeing his name on the list. A substitute at the Copa America Centenario in 2016 and part of Brazil’s gold medal-winning squad at the Olympic Men’s Football Tournament in the same year, Douglas looked set to have a promising career in the Seleção’s defence.
But that promise failed to manifest in the following months, and with each international window, his dream seemed to drift further away. He hoped to attract attention by putting his talents to the test in Europe by moving from Atletico Mineiro to Hamburger SV, but, while he was at the German side, the club went through one of the worst periods in their history, and suffered relegation from the top tier of German football for the first time.
Douglas stayed with the club for a season in Germany’s second division, before moving to Russian outfit Zenit Saint Petersburg. There, he became a regular starter, won the Russian league five times and built up a substantial following, but the Seleção still did not come calling.
“Of course there are moments when you think you won’t be called up again, but I never stopped believing. I kept putting in the work at club level, trying to improve and build consistency. So when the opportunity came again, I was ready to take it,” he told FIFA.
That opportunity came in September of last year, when Carlo Ancelotti called Douglas up to the squad for Brazil’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifying matches against Chile and Bolivia. Not only did that bring an end to a long wait for Douglas, it rewarded him for a decision he made months earlier.
In March 2025, Douglas was called up to make his debut for Russia, having obtained citizenship through residency. However, he had also been placed on a provisional squad list by Dorival Junior, giving him hope of playing for Brazil once again. The left-back turned down the offer from Russia and decided to hold out for a call-up from Brazil, passing up on a guarantee in favour of the uncertain.
“I’ve always had a lot of respect for Russia, as it’s the country where I have built so much of my career. But wearing the Brazilian shirt has always been the dream, so that took priority. I grew up watching the World Cup and dreaming of playing for the Seleção, and that weighed heavily on my heart,” he explained.
Ancelotti’s confidence boost
Douglas’ long-awaited return was marked with some style. The left-back was included in the starting XI and was one of the stand-out performers in Brazil’s 3-0 victory over Chile. A month later, he was called up once again for a round of friendlies, making the starting lineup in Brazil’s resounding 5-0 win over Korea Republic. In the two matches without him in this period, the Seleção lost to both Bolivia and Japan.
On his return, Douglas drew plaudits for his composure, which he believes came from the confidence placed in him by Ancelotti. “They asked me to be the same player I had been at my club: competitive, defensively solid and ready to contribute in attack when needed. Ancelotti has a way of instilling confidence in his players. He talks a lot, explains what he wants tactically, but also gives us the freedom to play with personality,” he explained.
Injury ruled Douglas out of the November friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia, but he remained at the forefront of his coach’s mind, with Ancelotti mentioning him as an example of a player making the most of his opportunities during an interview in London. Once recovered, he was back in the squad for matches against France and Croatia, starting both games.
Full-circle moment
Thanks to his recent record, Douglas is now widely expected to be named in Brazil’s World Cup squad, which will be announced on Monday, 18 May in Rio de Janeiro. When Ancelotti names his 26-man squad for the tournament in North America, it will be a full-circle moment for the player from Paraíba, who first followed the World Cup 24 years ago.
“My first clear memory is of the World Cup in [Korea/Japan] 2002. I was young and I remember watching the matches with my family, as well as the anticipation before each game. Brazil had a very special squad, with the likes of Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho. That really marked my childhood. I think that’s where my dream of wearing the Brazilian shirt at the World Cup was born,” he recalled.
When he looks back on the tournament he watched as an eight-year-old, Douglas cannot help but get emotional. “Seeing Ronaldo score both goals in the final, after everything he had been through, was really something. The team’s celebration, the whole country coming to a standstill, that all shows how big the World Cup is for Brazilians,” noted the left-back, who is already looking ahead to the group stage.
Brazil will play in Group C, alongside Haiti, Morocco and Scotland. The African side, who Brazil will play in their opening game, look set to pose a particular threat. “Morocco have shown a lot of strength recently, Scotland are very physically intense and Haiti are sure to come in highly motivated, but Brazil always go in to compete at the highest level. If we stay focused from the very start, we have what we need for a great group stage,” he asserted.
Beyond the group stage, how far can Brazil go? Douglas, who keenly remembers celebrating in the streets when Brazil won their fifth title, is optimistic about Brazil’s chances of lifting the trophy for a sixth time.
“The Brazilian fans always have reason to believe. We have talent, experience and players used to big matches. The goal is to go as far as possible and fight until the very last minute for a sixth World Cup title.”
After waiting nine years for a call-up, Douglas now intends to end another long wait: Brazil’s 24 years since their last world title.
