Zenit St Petersburg defender Douglas Santos was included in Brazil's latest squad for the November internationals. He said nobody has a guaranteed spot in the national team, with Brazil set to face Japan in Singapore on November 14.
Competition for places
Santos said in an interview with Lance: "Competition is part of a national team that has many quality players. I view this in a positive way because it motivates us to evolve and always seek our best level. I know I need to do a good job at my club, maintain regularity and take every opportunity when I am with the national team. I have international experience and have already lived through important moments with this shirt, but I understand that each call-up represents a new opportunity to show my value. I want to continue contributing to the team and conquer more and more space through work and my performances."
He also said: "I believe I am living a moment of maturity in my career, both because of the experience I acquired in European football and because of the opportunities I had representing the national team. I seek to constantly evolve, understand the game better and maintain a level of performance that allows me to help my team. I know that competition is great and that nobody has a guaranteed spot, so the most important thing is to have regularity, be physically well and demonstrate on the pitch that I can contribute."
View on Brazil's renewal
Santos said: "I see this renewal very positively. The national team always needs new talent, players with quality, energy and the desire to win their space. Those who already have a bit more experience can help by sharing experiences, guiding the younger players on a daily basis and showing the importance of being prepared to represent Brazil. At the same time, we also learn a lot from them, because each generation brings different characteristics. The most important thing is that everyone understands the size of this opportunity, works together and has the same objective of helping the national team achieve great results."
Japan match on November 14
Brazil's next match is against Japan in Singapore on November 14. Santos said: "Japan is a very organized, intense team that has the quality to take advantage of spaces. In that match, we had more difficulties in the first half, but we managed to improve after the interval. For this new clash, we need to maintain concentration for the full 90 minutes, control the moments of the game better and have more composure with the ball, especially when the opponent increases the pressure. Individually, I try to always be attentive to tactical issues, improve my decision-making and contribute both defensively and in the construction of plays. The objective is to help the team have balance and take advantage of our characteristics to seek the victory."
