Brazilian born Fernandes thriving with Russia

Mario Fernandes was only 21 when he rejected a chance to play for Brazil’s national team. Seven years later, the talented right back will be playing in the World Cup quarter-finals — with Russia’s national team.

The Brazil-born Fernandes is expected to start for the host nation against Croatia today in Sochi.

Fernandes shocked many in Brazil in 2011 when he did not report to the national team for that year’s Superclassico of the Americas against Argentina. He said personal problems prevented him from making it to the game, although the reasons were never fully explained. His agents at the time said they repeatedly tried to convince him to change his mind.

A couple of years before rejecting Brazil, Fernandes also attracted headlines after disappearing for several days shortly after signing his first professional contract with Brazilian club Gremio. Neither the club nor his agents knew of his whereabouts and police had to get involved. Fernandes was eventually found several thousand

Bkilometers (miles) away from Gremio’s base in the southern city of Porto Alegre, saying he was homesick.

“The problems I had are in the past,” Fernandes said yesterday. “It all happened a long time ago. I’ve changed a lot since then. Now I have my feet on the ground. I’m trying to work hard to help the Russian national team and to make the Russian fans happy.”