Who is Paulo Henrique, the Brazilian national team full-back who scored a goal and was a fan at Maracanã a month ago?

Summary: Vasco's full-back Paulo Henrique made his debut for the Brazilian national team as a starter against Japan, scoring a goal and standing out as a promising prospect for Carlo Ancelotti in the friendlies in Asia.

Vasco 's right-back Paulo Henrique will certainly leave a good impression on Carlo Ancelotti after his first stint with the Brazilian national team . A rush call-up after Roma's Wesley was injured, he earned a starting spot and scored the first goal in the match against Japan on Wednesday.

At 29, he's been one of Fernando Diniz's standout players this season. It's no surprise that when Ancelotti turned his attention to Brazilian football, he considered the full-back as an option to bolster the team for friendlies against South Korea and Japan in Asia. He had already started in the first match, but completed his "fairy tale" by scoring in the 26th minute, after running deep on the right wing.

This performance earned him a promotion to Atlético-MG and, after just a few minutes in Belo Horizonte, to Vasco. After scoring against Japan, Ancelotti was among those who celebrated the full-back's goal the most, as he was a gamble for the Italian coach, who wants to scout new players until he reaches the final World Cup squad.

Paulo Henrique was caught off guard by the call-up. When he heard the news that he would be on the Italian coach's list for the October friendlies, he was on a flight to Santa Catarina to celebrate the FIFA International Day with his family. He had to recalculate his route at the last minute to arrive in time for Ancelotti's training session in Seoul.

"It was such joy, that initial shock of telling my wife and family, who were waiting for me there. And then the rush to get back and get my things began," he told CBF TV . "I've always dreamed of joining the national team, always had that goal. Of course, the more time passes, the longer things take to happen. I climbed the ladder step by step until I reached Vasco and am here today."

During the national team's final match in Brazil, Paulo Henrique was in the stands. He watched the 3-0 victory over Chile in September live from the Maracanã stadium with his wife, Patrícia Casani. As fate would have it, the next time he was called up, he was not only included with the team but also part of Carlo Ancelotti's squad.

Another curious fact about his first experience with the national team was that he had to play with a "patched" shirt when he came on in the second half. On Paulo Henrique's number 13 shirt, the "1?" was added later. This meant the number was misaligned and not centered.

After the friendlies in Asia, Paulo Henrique will rely on Vasco's task force to return to the team in time to play against Fortaleza, in the Brazilian Championship, this Thursday.