Joelinton earns first Brazil call-up, joins Bruno

Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton has been called up for the Brazil senior national team for the first time in his professional career.

Joelinton will join teammate Bruno, who returns to the Canarinha after appearing in the 2022 World Cup with the South American nation.

Although Joelinton arrived in Tyneside as a forward from Hoffenheim of the German Bundesliga, the Brazilian has turned into one of the most prolific and effective box-to-box midfielders of the Premier League under the guidance of Eddie Howe.

The truth is that Joelinton never was too much of a goalscorer, never topping 8 goals in a single season (2016-17 at Rapid Wien of the Austrian Bundesliga) although scoring and assisting at least one goal in all three campaigns before moving to Newcastle.

Joelinton arrived at St James’ Park in the summer of 2019 for the hefty sum of €44m and after a rough start to his tenure in England supporters and detractors of Newcastle were starting to label the transfer a huge bust. Oh, boy, how the narrative has flipped.

Since the takeover by Saudi Arabia’s PIF and Eddie Howe’s appointment, Joelinton’s career has only gotten saucier by the day. The industrial midfielder has scored 10 goals in the last two years while assisting a couple (one each campaign) and playing at least 2,558 minutes in his the last two seasons through 35 and 32 games respectively (starting 30 matches both times).

Photo by Simon Hofmann/Getty Images

Joelinton was already called up to the Brazil U17 side all the way back in 2012, more than 10 years ago, although he had been skipped in all selections for the senior squad even after securing a near-45-million move from the Bundesliga to the best football league in the world just a few years ago.

Bruno is also on Brazil’s list of called-up players to face Guinea and Senegal next month, returning to the senior side after appearing in two World Cup games in Qatar.

Newcastle’s midfielder and unknown-turned-superstar Bruno is far from new to this type of endeavor, though, getting his debut back in Nov. 2020 for a World Cup Qualifier game against Uruguay (he played one minute off the pine) and growing into a larger role ever since including his two 33- and 36-minute games in the last WC.

Canarinha Friendly Games

Brazil v Guinea — Saturday, June 17

Brazil v Senegal — Tuesday, June 20

Brazil Squad for June Friendlies

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Manchester City), Weverton (Palmeiras)

Defenders: Alex Telles (Sevilla), Ayrton Lucas (Flamengo), Danilo (Juventus), Vanderson (Monaco), Ibanez (Roma), Eder Militao (Real Madrid), Marquinhos (PSG), Nino (Fluminese)

Midfielders: Andre (Fluminense), Casemiro (Man Utd), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Joelinton (Newcastle)

Forwards: Lucas Paqueta (West Ham), Malcolm (Zenit), Peter (Flamengo), Richarlison (Tottenham), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Rony (Palmeiras), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid), Raphael Veiga (Palmeiras)