Lukaku Forced Pereira to Choose Belgia

DBasia.news – For the very first time, Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira called by Brasil national team. Pereira explained his decision to choose the Brasil national team disappointed his teammate, Romelu Lukaku.

The 22-year-old player was born in Duffel, Belgium and always performed for U17 Belgium national team. But since the U20 and U23, Pereira supported Brasil national team, his father’s country.

Now, Pereira is almost joining Brasil senior national team after the call for a friendly match against the US and El Salvador.

Pereira ensured that he made the right decision. However, he confirmed that Lukaku tried hard to pursue him in joining the Belgium national team.

“He tried to convince me. ‘He spoke to me: “You have to play for Belgium”. He came to talk to me, he’s always talking to me. ‘I told him “it’s difficult, Lukaku, I can’t do it, it’s not the same. Playing for Belgium is something else. Playing for Selecao… It’s Brazil, I feel at home.”

“Then he said: ‘If that’s the way it is, you have to follow your heart”. And then he respected my decision,” Pereira told Globo Esporte.

Pereira’s commitment to Brasil was tested when Selecao met Belgia in the quarter-final of 2018 World Cup. As we know, Lukaku and friends won with a 2-1 score.

“I was in Belgium watching and it was difficult to see Brazil lose,’ he added. ‘Everybody messing with me. Wow, it was… I was very angry,” Pereira explained.