Arthur Dias Reached Brazil Team After Switching From Forward to Defender
Arthur Dias reached the Brazilian national team under coach Carlo Ancelotti just three years after playing as an Athletico-PR youth forward who initially did not want to play as a central defender.
Struggling with the Defensive Shift
Until 2023, Arthur regularly scored goals for the Athletico-PR youth academy in Campo Grande and had no intention of changing positions. When under-17 coach Rodrigo Bellão first proposed testing him as a central defender, the player resisted the idea entirely.
“I was very angry inside and didn’t want to, but I said: ‘Let’s test it.’ After four days, I didn’t want it anymore because I wasn’t adapting. I told everyone that the only position I didn’t want to play was as a center-back,” Arthur told ESPN.
A subsequent conversation in the coach’s office altered his perspective. Bellão highlighted the scarcity of tall, left-footed defenders capable of clean ball distribution from the back.
“He said it could be a new opportunity because it’s hard to find a tall, left-footed center-back with good ball distribution. I thought: ‘Why not try?’ In eight months, I made the under-17 national team even though I was 16 years old,” Arthur told ESPN.
Arthur Studies Thiago Silva to Master Defensive Positioning
To learn the intricacies of his new position, the teenager studied video footage of Fluminense defender Thiago Silva to master body positioning, defensive adjustments, and verbal organization on the pitch.
“At first I didn’t know anything. Even today before games I watch his videos to see what I need to improve,” Arthur admitted to ESPN.
The young defender eventually connected with his idol during an Athletico-PR and Fluminense fixture at the Arena da Baixada.
Overcoming Setbacks at Athletico-PR
Arthur’s football journey originally began in futsal before transitioning to field soccer. At age 10, he passed an evaluation with Grêmio, but family relocation constraints prevented him from moving to Porto Alegre. Subsequent plans with Athletico-PR faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 before he finally entered the club’s youth housing accommodations in 2022.
His professional debut arrived during a Serie B match against América-MG, where he entered in the second half and conceded a late penalty to William Bigode, resulting in a 2-2 draw.
“We were living through a very delicate moment and needed to win. I was very shaken because I’ve always been very dedicated. I knew I had to evolve and one play wouldn’t define my career, but I would have to work twice as hard,” Arthur told ESPN.
Coach Odair Hellman intervened the following day at training to help restore the young defender’s confidence.
“I was very shaken and started crying a lot. Papito said that no one was going to treat me like a criminal, but that I would have to run twice as hard. He said the whole group trusted me and that I could count on him. I wasn’t judged by one play and it worked out very well. I just have to thank him,” Arthur told ESPN.
Brazil Call-Up Follows Interest from Tottenham and Barcelona
Following consistent performances for Athletico-PR, Arthur earned a call-up from Carlo Ancelotti for Brazil’s friendlies following the World Cup. He appeared in the final moments of a 4-2 victory against Australia.
Athletico-PR reportedly rejected an offer exceeding R$ 120 million from Tottenham, while Barcelona dispatched chief scout João Amaral to monitor the defender during a match against Bahia at the Arena da Baixada.
“I’m happy to receive these proposals, but I’m focused on Athletico and finishing this final stretch to qualify for the Libertadores next year. The news arrives, but I leave everything to my agent,” Arthur told ESPN.