TNT Sports
Senna has Spain in sights
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Published 27/09/2005 at 13:13 GMT+1
Brazilian-born midfielder Marcos Senna, who is eligible to play for Spain, is banking on his superb domestic form for Villarreal this season catching the eye of national coach Luis Aragones. Senna would not be the first foreign-born player to put on the S
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Senna, who was born in Sao Paulo but has been granted Spanish citizenship, has been one of Villarreal's best players and won widespread praise for his dynamic performances in the centre of midfield.
"It is a dream of mine to play for Spain," the 29-year-old was quoted as saying in sports daily Marca on Tuesday.
"I'm working full out in the hope that I'll get a call from Luis Aragones. In Brazil, there is a lot more competition and it would be more difficult to be called up, that's why I would be so excited to hear from Luis Aragones."
The former Corinthians player joined Villarreal from Sao Caetano in 2002 and has become an integral team member under coach Manuel Pellegrini.
He was suspended for 60 days last year after testing positive for two banned substances in a drugs control carried out after an Intertoto match against Atletico Madrid.
Foreign-born players have often played for Spain. Brazilian-born defender Donato made 12 appearances for the national side between 1994 and 1996 and Argentine-born striker Jose Antonio Pizzi won 24 caps in the mid 1990s.
The great Alfredo di Stefano, who was born in Buenos Aires and played for both Argentina and Colombia, scored 23 goals in 31 games for Spain between 1957 and 1961.
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