The pre-contract signed by Felipe Anderson to play for Palmeiras was a surprising announcement. The attacking midfielder is a star at Lazio, still has several more years of professional career ahead of him, and there was a strong desire from Juventus to sign him.
However, the 31-year-old Brazilian, with eleven seasons in Europe, decided to return to his country and wear the Verdão’s uniform. He will do so starting in July, after his current team contract expires, and his agreement will initially extend until December 31, 2027.
Among the motivations for his return is Felipe Anderson’s dream of earning a place in the Brazilian national team for the 2026 World Cup. Dorival Júnior showed in his first call-up that he pays close attention to the local league, including players from Palmeiras, São Paulo, Flamengo, Fluminense, and Athletico Paranaense in the list.
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Despite his presence in Europe, Felipe Anderson’s trajectory with the Seleção has been brief. At the senior level, he only played in two friendlies (in 2015 against Mexico and in 2019 against Panama), while there is the fond memory of winning the gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
In this context, the desire to demonstrate his worth in the 2025 Club World Cup also weighed heavily. By winning the 2021 Copa Libertadores, Palmeiras is already qualified for the competition, which will have a new format, with 32 teams from different confederations playing over a month in the United States, featuring a group stage and then direct elimination rounds from the round of 16 to the final.
The São Paulo team will also have Felipe Anderson for the final stages of the current Brasileirão, in search of a third championship, and surely for the knockout stages of the Copa Libertadores, which will take place after the 2024 Copa America and the Paris Olympics.
