Sharjah team striker Caio Lucas Fernandez revealed that he has completed the legal period that entitles him to represent the national football team, starting with facing the Iranian team, next March 10, in the seventh round of the direct Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, pointing out at the same time that he He is ready for the challenge, and is at the disposal of the Portuguese “White” coach, Paulo Pinto.
Caio told Emirates Today that he had not received any contact from the coach or the Football Association about joining the national team, but he confirmed that he was ready whenever he was contacted. He said: “I am always ready. I try to do my best with the club, and if they want… Call me, I’m ready.’
The team awaits a strong mission in March when it goes out to face its Iranian counterpart, as the “White” team occupies third place in the group with 10 points, while Iran leads the group with 16 points, followed by the Uzbek national team with 13 points.
The player, who obtained the Emirati passport last August, began his career in the UAE League in July 2016 with the Al Ain team, and played with them for three seasons before leaving the country to join the Portuguese team Benfica, before returning through Sharjah in January 2020.
Caio Lucas’s departure from the UAE League and joining Benfica resulted in the cancellation of the first three years he spent with Al Ain, and the player was forced to start the five-year calculation process again to be eligible.
“I’ve been working on this,” Caio said. So far, they have not contacted me. All my focus at the moment is with my team, and if they contact me, it is certainly because I deserve to join the national team, and I will always work to do my best for this country.
Regarding his impression of the team’s performance and the disappointing exit from the first round in the Gulf Cup “Gulf 26”, Caio Lucas said: “It is difficult for me to say something, when you are only watching the matches you can say a lot of things, but from inside the field things are… Different. For me, they were fighters on the field to win, but unfortunately they could not do that.
He concluded: “The players must continue, and I hope to be with them in the upcoming matches, and that everything will be well for the national team’s chances in the awaited challenges.”
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