Liverpool’s Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho insists he hasn’t given up on securing a place in his country’s World Cup squad.
Coutinho joined Liverpool in January 2013 and has established himself as a key player for the Premier League title challengers this season, managing 35 appearances and five goals in all competitions to date.
The 21-year-old former Inter Milan forward has managed just one cap for Brazil and has never been called up by current boss Luiz Felipe Scolari, but Coutinho remains convinced he could yet force his way into the 23-man squad.
He told Placar: “The Brazilian national team will always be one of my objectives, and I haven’t given up on the World Cup yet.
“I know our manager keeps an eye on everything that is going on, and I am doing my best to deserve a chance.
“Let’s see what happens until the squad are called up. I still have the dream of playing the World Cup in Brazil.”
Coutinho has two more games for Liverpool this season in which to try and catch Scolari’s eye – at Crystal Palace on Monday and at home to Newcastle on Sunday.
Liverpool are 1.34 to come away from Selhurst Park with all three points on Monday evening.
Host nation Brazil are 1.27 to beat Croatia in the opening World Cup fixture on June 12 and 3.75 to go on and win the tournament outright.
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