Kaio Jorge hails fine form at Cruzeiro and call-up to the national team | OneFootball

Experiencing a great phase at Cruzeiro, forward Kaio Jorge was called up for the first time to the main Brazilian National Team during this FIFA Date. The striker spoke about his excitement to wear the Yellow Jersey.

“It’s been a very good experience, I always dreamed of this moment. I went through the youth categories of the National Team, so you end up imagining yourself reaching the Main Team. In my case, it was no different. It was always a dream, a desire, and today I am part of this team. It’s been very gratifying for me,” said Kaio Jorge, in an interview with CBF TV.

Kaio Jorge joins the National Team as the top scorer of the Brazilian Championship, with 15 goals. The forward hopes to maintain his good form and thanked the fans who called for his selection.

“I’m experiencing a great phase at Cruzeiro. I’m very happy there, it’s a club that welcomed me really well. I’m the top scorer of the competition (Brasileirão) and I hope to maintain this good phase. I’m very happy with this affection. In the Brasileirão, you play against teams with big fan bases and by scoring goals, you end up earning respect from the opposing fans. I’m very happy that they asked for me here in the National Team,” he added.

Kaio Jorge recalls his time in the National Team’s youth categories

Kaio Jorge with the bronze boot from the 2019 U-17 World Cup. (Photo: Alexandre Loureiro/CBF)

Despite experiencing his first call-up to the main National Team, Kaio Jorge was a constant presence in Brazil’s youth categories.

While in the youth categories of Santos, Kaio Jorge went through the U-15, U-17, and U-20 of the Brazilian National Team. In 2019, he won the only title of his career: the U-17 World Cup.

“When you come from the youth categories, you already know the Granja, the people who work within the CBF, so it makes you feel at ease when you reach the Main Team, which is how I’m feeling here today, I’m super calm and well received,” he said.

Injury and time in Europe

In addition to celebrating his good phase, Kaio Jorge also recalled his time at Juventus and his right knee injury.

After a quick rise at Santos, as one of the highlights of the runner-up campaign in the 2020 Libertadores, he was sold to Juventus in 2021. In a game for the team’s U-23 in February 2022, he ruptured the patellar tendon in his right knee and was away from the field for a year and a half.

“My injury was a very painful process, but I matured a lot mentally and as a man too. My injury helped me a lot psychologically and emotionally. Today, thank God, I have a very good, very focused mindset,” he concluded.

After the injury, he was loaned to Frosinone Calcio-ITA, and after that, sold to Cruzeiro in June 2024.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.