Shakhtar Donetsk sporting director Darijo Srna thanked Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti after Marlon Gomes and Alisson Santana received their first senior Brazil call-ups. The pair were named in Ancelotti's latest squad for November's international window, giving Shakhtar Brazil-selected players for the first time in eight years.
First senior Brazil selections
Gomes and Santana are the first Shakhtar Donetsk players to be selected by Brazil in eight years. It is the first time since Fred and Taison were called up in 2018 that Shakhtar have provided players for Brazil.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Srna said: "They deserved that. It is a big success for the whole club. We are living every day under sirens, under bombs, and are attacked by Shahed drones, so to make the Brazil national team in these conditions is amazing."
Message to Ancelotti and Brazil players
Speaking to talkSPORT, Srna said: "Thank you so much to Carlo Ancelotti, because he is a coach who knows how to choose players. They are two young players, and for sure they will be the future of the Brazil national team. It sends a huge message to all the world, and to all our Brazilian players at Shakhtar, that we are still here, that we are alive, that we are producing amazing players. It shows that we are, like all Ukrainians, fighting until the end."
Brazil's November fixtures
Brazil will face Japan on November 14 and Singapore three days later, with both friendlies staged at the National Stadium in Kallang. Gomes and Santana will hope to win their first senior caps during that trip.
Srna on life in Ukraine
Srna added: "We are waiting for that. We are praying for peace every day."
Srna added: "Ukraine is in a very, very difficult moment now, with attacks every day. Even yesterday, games were cancelled because it was not possible to play due to the Shahed drones. Unfortunately, this is our life today. This is our reality. We need to help each other. We need to be united until our victory."
