Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson is having a big personal moment this week.
As announced by Brazil manager Tite today, the 27-year-old is now set to be in the starting team which will face Chile in the Copa America quarter-finals on Friday night.
Despite being regularly called up for the national team since 2017, the goalkeeper has mostly been a second option after Liverpool’s Alisson, especially in major tournaments.
Now after one appearance in the Copa America group stage, he managed to win the spot, and was today asked about taking the starting place from his Liverpool rival.
“I think that in the national team there’s no captive place. Who’s doing better gets to play,” said Ederson (via Globo Esporte).
“Good players, new players, are always appearing. You look at the Olympic team and see that they only have quality players, players who play at a high level. Here there’s no captive place, whoever is better comes to the national team and plays. We have to enjoy these moments and seize the opportunity when Tite chooses you.”
Coincidentally, Ederson will meet an old teammate tomorrow night. Chile’s first goalkeeper and team captain is Claudio Bravo, who played for Manchester City between 2016 and 2020.
“Bravo is a person I used to talk to a lot on a daily basis, a teammate of the same position, a guy who I had a lot of contact with. I know that when I arrived at City he wasn’t in a good phase, he was coming from a difficult phase, with an adaptation phase that was difficult for him. I was able to arrive and adapt well, joining the team’s scheme, but I think it will be good to meet him again.”
Just like at Manchester City, Ederson continues training on his footwork with the national team as well. He was asked if he’d be ready in case Tite chooses him to take a penalty.
“We know that in football anything can happen. Of course, if the coach chooses me, I’ll take it. But we also have very good takers. In football anything can happen, you see that the Europa League final was decided by the goalkeepers, so we have to be prepared for all situations. If I’m among the five, or if I have to be among the 11, I’ll be prepared in the same way.”
