According to Brazilian media outlet GE, Jair Cunha's father was thrilled with his son's first call-up to the Brazilian national team. The 21-year-old Nottingham Forest defender was selected by manager Carlo Ancelotti for Brazil's first squad since the World Cup.
Jair will join the team for warm-up matches against Australia and India in late September and early October, which will be Brazil's first test in the 2030 World Cup cycle.
Jair's father watched the call-up ceremony at his home in Orlandia, Riberão Preto, São Paulo state. Jair was born there and took his first steps in his football career there.
“It’s an incredibly special feeling, hard to measure. Playing for Brazil, playing for your country, is every athlete’s dream. We weren’t surprised by his ability, but hearing this news still feels like a dream come true, it’s truly gratifying,” Jair said excitedly in an interview with GE.
He added, "It still feels like a dream. This is the result of all our hard work. We did a very good job in the Santos youth academy, and we also put in a lot of effort for him in Orlando, which is why he has come this far."
Before becoming a professional athlete, Jair Cunha was a track and field star in Orlandia. He excelled in the 50-meter sprint and jumping events, thanks to his long stride and tall stature.
Until he was 10, Jair represented his school and hometown in regional competitions. Later, his love for football prevailed. He passed the trial with Santos as a defender, instead of playing as a striker like his father or as his father hoped, and moved to the São Paulo state coast at the age of 11.
“We’ve been with him at Santos all along, from the youth academy to the first team; his entire growth trajectory has followed this path,” said Jair’s father.
After turning professional at Santos, Jair joined Botafogo. He then impressed at the Rio team and transferred to Nottingham Forest.
“We were with him when he went to Rio to play Botafogo. Now that he’s in England, we can only offer our support from a further distance, but we’ve always been there for him.”
Jair's father revealed that he had been looking forward to his son's first selection, as Ancelotti had signaled a generational shift for the next World Cup.
“We have seen Ancelotti and the Brazilian Football Confederation have said that they will be making changes and calling up new players, including those who have played in the U20 team. He won the U20 South American Championship and was also called up to participate in the U20 World Cup, but he was unable to do so due to club reasons, so we have always thought he would be on this list.”
Yair's father also said that he was very happy to see his son and the whole family's dream come true, and he hoped that his son would continue to perform well so that he could be selected more times in the future.
"This is immense joy, the result of all the effort, all the hard work, all the preparation, ever since he was a child. We believed in this goal, we believed in this plan, and now it is becoming a reality. He must continue to work hard, grow with these calls, and be more mature, better prepared, and more mentally prepared by 2030. He must cherish every opportunity that begins with this first selection."
On social media, Jair celebrated his first ever call-up to the national team.
“This moment represents the realization of a lifelong dream. Since I was very young, my family and I have been working hard for today, which has led to everything I am experiencing now,” Yair wrote.
He added, "We made many sacrifices and went through countless challenges to become professional players and to one day wear the Brazilian national team jersey. This dream has now become a reality, and I hope I can seize this opportunity and make such moments come more often."
