Brazil's Pedro gets engaged minutes after World Cup call-up
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It is said that good things come in pairs, and for Brazilian attacker Pedro that was certainly true Monday: He proposed marriage to his long-time girlfriend after hearing that he'd made Brazil's team to play in the World Cup in Qatar.
"I didn't expect it at all. I really don't know what to say," new fiancee Fernanda Nogueira told Fla TV, the official channel of Flamengo, the Rio de Janeiro club where the 25-year-old forward plays.
"It is a special day," Pedro said, smiling broadly, "and I made it even more special."
"This will be my first World Cup, a childhood dream come true... It is an unforgettable day," he said.
In a video broadcast by Fla TV, the player is on his knees, a box containing an engagement ring in his hand. He then gets up to embrace his future wife, minutes after the announcement of the list of players selected by the coach, Adenor Leonardo Bacchi (known as Tite) for the World Cup.
Pedro is one of the few on the squad who play for a Brazilian club (three out of 26). He won out over Roberto Firmino, forward for Premier League club Liverpool.
For his part, Brazilian star Neymar, accompanied by his son, burst out laughing when he heard the coach say his name during the press conference he was watching on TV. He filmed and posted the moment on Instagram, celebrating his third World Cup appearance.
Brazil, one of the heavy favorites, will try to win a sixth world title in Qatar. The team will make its debut in the tournament on November 24 against Serbia.