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Loading ...Amauri, who has not appeared at international level for the Brazilian team, will be eligible in the future to play for the Italian national team because he has lived and played in Italy for over five years, and is eligible to acquire Italian nationality by marriage.
Following his impressive performances when at Palermo, he was suggested to be a potential call-up of the then Azzurri coach Roberto Donadoni, who stated he might be interested in calling him to the Italian squad.
On 31 January 2009, Brazilian coach Dunga selected Amauri as a replacement for the injured Luís Fabiano in an international friendly against Italy. However, a few hours later, in the aftermath of a Juventus league game on the same day, Juventus chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli stated the club’s intention not to allow the player to respond to the call-up.
On November 2009, Amauri himself confirmed his decision to play for Italy instead of Brazil, following remarks by Italian striker Giampaolo Pazzini who was critical about the possibility of having a non-Italian born player within the azzurri squad. It was however revealed later that Amauri’s citizenship procedure is not expected to be approved before March 2010, thus making him unable to be featured in any of the friendly games scheduled before the selection of the Italian squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
