Douglas Santos has been named among the 26 players selected for Brazil’s World Cup squad for 2026. The announcement was made by head coach Carlo Ancelotti on Monday, October 18, at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro. Born on March 26, 1994, in João Pessoa, Brazil, Santos has garnered attention as a left-back. He stands at 1.76 meters tall and weighs 74 kilograms.
Douglas Santos: Career Highlights
Douglas Santos began his professional career with CSP but later joined Náutico, where he played for youth teams. In 2013, while representing Náutico, he received his first national team call-up for a friendly match against Bolivia.
His career gained momentum in 2016 while playing for Atlético-MG. He made a significant impact by participating in the friendly victory over Panama. Additionally, he was a key player in the Brazilian squad that won a historic gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics, contributing two assists in a 4-0 win against Denmark. Santos also participated in the Copa América Centenário in the United States.
Club Journey
After his tenure at Atlético-MG, Santos transferred to Hamburg, where he played from the 2016/17 season until 2018/19. He then signed with Zenit St. Petersburg, with a contract running until June next year. During his time in Russian football, he has achieved significant success, winning:
- 6 Russian Championships
- 2 Russian Cups
- 5 Russian Super Cups
His only season without a championship was the 2024/25 season, in which Krasnodar emerged as the winner. Despite his accolades, this season has seen limited appearances, with only 24 games and one goal recorded.
Recent International Performances
Douglas Santos returned to international recognition during the recent World Cup qualifiers. He started in Brazil’s 3-0 victory over Chile, although he did not participate in the loss against Bolivia. He continued to showcase his skills in three subsequent friendlies, achieving wins over South Korea and Croatia, while suffering a defeat against France.
As Brazil prepares for the World Cup, the competition for the left-back position will be fierce, particularly with Alex Sandro challenging for the starting role. Douglas Santos aims to make his mark in the tournament and add to his international legacy.
