After World Cup experience, Leo Nannetti shares lessons with Brazil U20s
· Yahoo Sports
Brazil’s youth national teams are the natural pathway to the senior side. Goalkeeper Leo Nannetti, however, landed a golden ticket and got a “sneak peek” at life with the Seleção during the 2026 World Cup, when he was invited to join the squad and had the privilege of training alongside his idols. Now he is putting that experience to work with the U-20s and sharing what he learned with his teammates.
Nannetti’s first opportunity with Brazil came with the U-17 national team in 2024, when he played in the Cascais Luso Cup. In 2025, however, he skipped a step: he joined the senior squad for training at Granja Comary ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Bolivia.
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In 2026, the invitation was like a VIP pass: he attended the World Cup and trained alongside Alisson, Ederson and Weverton under Taffarel’s guidance, experiencing the tournament atmosphere firsthand.
Leo Nannetti: U-17 call-ups and invitations to train with the senior national team already on his résumé, and now looking forward to a tournament with the U-20sCredits: Joilson Marconne / CBF
“I never imagined I would be experiencing a World Cup atmosphere at 18. It added so much to my career and my personal life. I was alongside my idols, watching how they conduct themselves, how they train and how they prepare for each game. I’ll carry that experience with me for the rest of my life,” he said.
Naturally, these experiences spark curiosity among his teammates, although most already play for their clubs’ senior teams. Nannetti shares what he can and draws on the experience he has gained throughout his career to keep improving with Brazil’s U-20s.
The goalkeeper has been working hard in training in Belém ahead of two friendlies against PeruCredits: Joilson Marconne / CBF
“A lot of them ask what it was like, and I always try to answer as naturally as possible. The technical and mental demands change a lot from one national team to the next. The U-17s are more about development, the U-20s are very competitive, and the senior team—well, that goes without saying, doesn’t it? The pressure they carry, representing an entire nation,” he said.
The goalkeeper considers one thing essential: keeping each of these experiences in perspective so he can continue developing. “I always try to keep my feet on the ground. If I’m here today, I have God, coach Paulo Victor and the coaching staff to thank for believing in my work. And I have to remember that being called up now doesn’t mean I’ll be at the South American Championship. It’s an important step, but I give my best in every training session to try to secure my place in the squad,” he concluded.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.