Antony broke down in tears after being named in Brazil coach Tite’s 26-man World Cup squad.
The Manchester United winger has scored three goals in the Premier League since joining from Ajax in the summer. However, he has missed United’s last three games after picking up an injury last month.
That weighed heavily on his mind on Monday when the Selecao squad for this month’s tournament in Qatar was confirmed.
Antony was watching the team announcement with family and friends, immediately jumping out of his seat when he heard his name called.
The 22-year-old jumped up and down with everyone else in the room before hugging one person in particular.
Antony’s face grew redder and redder as his grip tightened. All those years of sacrifice were definitely worth it.
Other Premier League strikers included in the squad are Arsenal duo Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli as well as Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison.
A notable absence is Roberto Firmino, despite a good start to the season with Liverpool. Former Leeds United winger Raphinha, now of Barcelona, manages to get in despite a difficult start to his career at Camp Nou.