Douglas Santos, the captain of Zenit St. Petersburg, is facing a significant dilemma following his recent inclusion on the extended roster of the Russian national football team for March training sessions. The announcement was made by the Russian Football Union (RFU) and has sparked considerable discussion among fans and experts alike.
Santos, who has been at Zenit since the summer of 2019, has had considerable success with the club, winning five Russian championships, five Super Cups, and two Russian Cups. His performances have also garnered him significant attention and respect both domestically and internationally.
Recently, Santos was also named to the preliminary list of the Brazil national team for World Cup qualifying matches against Colombia and Argentina. The dual recognition raises questions about his future participation.
According to sports lawyer Yuri Zaitsev, who commented on the situation, Santos's eligibility to play for Russia hinges on his formal decision to renounce his claim to play for Brazil after acquiring Russian citizenship last October. “When Douglas Santos received Russian citizenship, Zenit issued an official statement confirming FIFA's approval for him to represent Russia. Such approval is only possible if the player formally declines to play for his previous national team,” Zaitsev explained. “This implies Santos has opted out of playing for Brazil,” he added.
Under FIFA regulations, Santos can only return to the Brazil team if he does not compete for Russia at all. “If he plays even one match for Russia—be it official or unofficial—he cannot revert to playing for Brazil,” Zaitsev emphasized.
Santos’s recent accolades include being part of Brazil's gold medal-winning squad at the 2016 Olympics; nevertheless, he now faces the reality of possibly missing out on his chance to return to the national team if he takes the field for Russia.
It’s unclear whether Santos has made his decision about which country to represent definitively. According to his agent, he has yet to announce his choice publicly, creating speculation about his immediate future.
On March 3, it was confirmed by the RFU's announcement of the extended national team roster for March training camps, including Santos among 42 players. His club colleague, goalkeeper Evgeny Latyshonok, defenders Yuri Gorshkov and Maxim Glushenkov, and midfielder Andrey Mostovoy were also named to the squad.
The upcoming friendly match against Zambia is highly anticipated, though the exact date and location have yet to be set. Observers are eager to see whether Santos will play and how such participation would affect his options related to Brazil.
Vladimir Bystrov, another notable figure from Russian football, expressed approval over Santos’s inclusion, stating, “He is an excellent player, and we need him because we don’t have many strong left defenders left.” Bystrov acknowledged the competition for places and the importance of every match for the national team.
Santos’s current contract with Zenit runs through 2027, giving him the opportunity to solidify his position both at the club and possibly with the national team depending on the decisions he makes.
The question remains, will he decide to play for his adoptive nation or hold out hope for another chance with Brazil? Football fans will be glued to their screens as this developing saga could potentially reshuffle the line-up of both national teams.