PSV captain Mauro Junior is set to experience a major milestone after Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti selected him for the upcoming friendly internationals against Australia and India.

The 27-year-old received the news directly from PSV head coach Peter Bosz, who revealed after Thursday’s 1-1 Champions League draw with Shakhtar Donetsk how he delivered the announcement to the dressing room.

“I had almost given it away already on Saturday,” Bosz said, as quoted by Sportnieuws.nl and relayed by PSV Inside.

The PSV coach explained that he first learned about the call-up from technical director Earnest Stewart following the 3-1 victory over Ajax.

“It was really very nice. I heard it from Earnest (Stewart, ed.) after the match against Ajax. He let me read the invitation, so then I asked him: does Mauro know this already? Well, apparently he didn't,” Bosz recalled.

Bosz then decided to share the news with the entire PSV squad, choosing a playful way to get Mauro's attention.

“In the locker room I asked: ‘do we have Mauro Jaqueson Júnior Ferreira dos Santos in our squad?’ I saw Mauro looking... So then I said: ‘you've been selected for the Brazilian national team.’”

The announcement immediately triggered a celebration among Mauro's teammates.

“All the boys piled on him, it was great,” Bosz said.

For Mauro, the call-up represents recognition after years of service and development at PSV. The versatile player has established himself as an important figure in Eindhoven and currently wears the captain's armband.

Bosz stressed that the moment was significant, especially for a Brazilian player receiving his first senior national-team call-up.

The PSV coach explained why the announcement carried such weight inside the club.

“For us Dutch people, that's something special, but what do you think it means for a Brazilian? Just looking at how they experience such a announcement with family and friends... We are really super proud that we can deliver another player to a national team,” Bosz said.

Mauro has previously represented Brazil at youth level but had never received a senior call-up before Ancelotti included him in the squad.

Bosz also used the occasion to reflect on a missed opportunity for the Netherlands. Mauro has spent many years in Dutch football and could previously have been considered for the Netherlands, but the KNVB never pursued naturalisation.

“I do think it is a major loss that the KNVB didn’t push ahead,” Bosz said.

“There aren’t many good left backs and if you need him somewhere at a tournament in another place, he can do that as well. He has already shown that with us.”

Bosz nevertheless acknowledged that the opportunity for Mauro to represent the Netherlands has now passed.

“But anyway, I think it’s too late now,” he concluded.

Mauro will turn his attention to Brazil, with Ancelotti giving the PSV captain an opportunity to make his senior international debut against Australia or India.