Italy could have had another dimension to their attack at Euro 2020, but they only have a failed passport application to blame.
As it transpires, Robert Mancini’s side didn’t need an extra body, having famously beaten England on penalties at Euro 2020 to claim only their second European Championship title.
But news has emerged that one of Barcelona’s stars this season turned down the chance to represent Gli Azzurri and now boasts 33 caps for another nation.
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Barcelona star could have played for Italy at Euro 2020
The Italian national team made attempts to recruit the now 28-year-old back in 2024, during which time he was still playing in the Premier League for Leeds United.
Since then, his career has taken quite the turn and now looks set to win La Liga this season after scoring a hatful of goals alongside Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski.
It turns out Raphinha – ranked at no.2 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best left wingers in the world right now – was only days away from changing his allegiances from Brazil to Italy in 2020 and the former Leeds United could have followed in the footsteps of Jorginho, Emerson Palmieri and Rafael Toloi, all of whom have Brazilian heritage themselves and represent Italy.
“I was close to accepting the call-up to the Italy national team. I would have gone to the European Championships that they won in 2020. I was pretty much ready,” the Brazil international said in an interview with Isabela Pagliari.
“The guys from the Italian national team called me. Jorginho always called me. The Italian staff had this fantastic project for me, something that really impressed me.
“But at the same time, deep down, I still had that one percent hope of wearing the Brazil shirt. And fortunately, my Italian passport didn’t arrive in time.”
In FourFourTwo’s view, having a player like Raphinha would have taken Italy’s attack to another level, and perhaps their Euro 2020 campaign would have gone more smoothly with the Barcelona man amongst their ranks.
Raphinha has been in electric form for the La Liga giants this season and is evens to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
