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Carlo Ancelotti’s debut was a rather lacklustre affair, as Brazil finished 0-0 against Ecuador. The Italian has reshuffled his midfield, but three training sessions are too short to make a big difference. The Selecao’s attack remains lacking in energy, and hopefuls such as Richarlison, Vinicius and new signing Estevao have all failed to make an impact.
There are some positives, though. Brazil, despite failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, are still safe in fourth place, with six and a half places available for South America. In addition, the Selecao recorded their first clean sheet since October 2024, especially after a 4-1 defeat to Argentina in March.
The presence of Alexsandro Ribeiro in central defence was also interesting. In his debut for the national team, the Ligue 1 centre-back, who plays for Lille, was solid alongside Marquinhos. He cleared the ball six times, made two important tackles and interceptions, and attempted 82 passes with a 95% accuracy, including some ambitious long balls.
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Alexsandro Ribeiro was one of the best players in the 0-0 draw between Brazil and Ecuador. |
Alexsandro's determination is understandable. Having been drafted into the national team at the age of 25, he knew that another opportunity would be hard to come by, so he had to seize the opportunity and make an immediate impression. Having also gone through a long period of hardship and the desire to escape poverty, Alexsandro realized that his dream was very close.
Four years ago, in 2021, Alexsandro wrote down his five dreams in a notebook. They included getting married and having children, living in a nice house, moving his family out of the slums, playing for a big team and saving for retirement.
Alexsandro was the eldest child of a single mother. The family lived in the Dique II community, a slum in the north of Rio de Janeiro. Naturally, they were very poor. Every day, Alexsandro, his mother and siblings would go to the rampa , or garbage dump, to make a living. They would search for plastic, iron and copper, sort them and sell them, and collect usable items to bring back to their dilapidated home.
For many, garbage means dirt. For Alexsandro's family, garbage means food and clothes. "The favela is a place people would avoid, but it's where we lived for many years," he said. "It's not that I reject it, it's just that I wanted to change the reality of my family. Since I was a child, I've always looked to improve my family through football."
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Alexsandro had a poor childhood and a difficult start to his football career. |
During his childhood, Alexsandro's time was spent studying, playing football and making a living. He never skipped school or practice, and he used every minute to take care of his four younger siblings.
“As the eldest, but also as a father, what was I supposed to do? Nothing but bring food home and be a good example for my younger siblings, who still call me dad. I did it naturally. To be honest, living that way was difficult and burdensome. But looking back, I am pleased that I managed well. I did not hesitate to do anything. I worked on construction sites with my uncle, helped my grandmother sell candy on the train, worked as a waiter, a salesman. And I also sold fish on the street,” Alexsandro recalls.
Alexsandro joined Bonsucesso at the age of 13. After a decent season, he moved to Flamengo and played in the youth team alongside Vinicius Junior. However, as things went smoothly for Vinicius, Alexsandro struggled just as much.
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Before coming to Europe, Alexsandro was repeatedly rejected by football teams in Brazil. |
“After leaving Flamengo, I had trials with eight or nine different clubs,” he said. “First, I failed the test at Internacional and had to go home. Then I went to Gremio, where I passed the trial but after two months of training, they released me. It was the same at Avai. Then Palmeiras, twice with Botafogo, Fluminense and Vasco, all of which I refused. The thought of quitting football gradually appeared in my mind. I lost hope and my dream of playing football became more and more distant.”
The light finally came when small Rio club Redense took Alexsandro on, and he had a relatively outstanding season. Fluminense invited him to sign a contract. But alas, after two months, they had a change of heart and Alexsandro had to leave.
Alexsandro was devastated and planned for a future without football. But at the same time, a voice inside him reminded him of the tragic situation of his family. "Many times our family had no rice to cook, no food to eat," he shared, "Many times my brothers and I wanted to go out but had no clothes, no money, nothing. My family also did not have a shower, we had to use a bucket to pour water on ourselves. So I was not allowed to give up. Football was the only way to change our lives."
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Alexsandro finally achieved his dream of professional football, while helping his family escape poverty. |
Luckily for Alexsandro, as he puts it, an angel came. It was Leo Percovich, the youth coach of Fluminense. He was the only one who believed in Alexsandro. When he arrived at Praiense, a team in the autonomous region of the Azores, an archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean belonging to Portugal, he asked Alexsandro to try out. After two good years, Alexsandro moved to Amora and then Chaves (in the lower Portuguese football leagues). By 2022, he would officially debut in one of Europe's top five leagues when he joined Lille in Ligue 1.
Alexsandro has played 112 games for Lille so far, playing a leading role. Last season, he was a key factor in helping the team reach the Champions League round of 16 and finish in 5th place. The main reward was a place in Ancelotti's Brazil national team.
"I got what I dreamed of," Alexsandro said happily, "I bought a big house for the whole family, got married and had a beautiful daughter. I also played in the Champions League and wore the Brazilian shirt. All because I accepted to sacrifice many things, constantly pursued my dreams and made efforts to turn my dreams into reality."
Now, Alexsandro's goal is to play in the 2026 World Cup. If he plays like he did against Ecuador and continues to improve, it wouldn't be surprising to see him reach that goal again.
Source: https://tienphong.vn/tan-binh-doi-tuyen-brazil-alexsandro-va-giac-mo-vuon-minh-tu-bai-rac-post1748892.tpo
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