[Saba Sports News] Brazil confirmed that full-back Wesley Vinícius França Lima has been ruled out of the World Cup due to an injury sustained in the friendly against Egypt, and called up Éderson José dos Santos Lourenço da Silva as his replacement.
According to ESPN, Éderson was on holiday in his hometown at the time. He was attending a former teammate’s wedding that night when he was woken up early in the morning by a phone call from the Brazilian Football Confederation. He was informed that Carlo Ancelotti had handed him a late call-up and asked him to fly to the United States as soon as possible. Overjoyed by the news, Éderson and his family were moved to tears.
However, he faced a big problem: he had not brought his passport with him on the trip, which was left in Rio de Janeiro. He then asked a friend to deliver the passport to São Paulo, where he would board a flight to New Jersey to join the national team. Meanwhile, his wife headed back home to pack his luggage and clothes for the journey. Aside from earning a spot in Brazil’s World Cup squad, Éderson is set for another major career move this summer. Multiple media outlets report that he will leave Atalanta to join Premier League giants Manchester United.
In my view, this dramatic double blessing has become an inspiring story ahead of the World Cup. For the 26-year-old Éderson, it represents a huge opportunity in his professional career.