Despite his talents, Coutinho has struggled to establish himself as a regular for Brazil, especially under current manager Dunga – whose squad selections have always left fans scratching their head.
Our no.10 though has been selected for the Copa America this summer, and warmed up for it in fine style by putting in a Man of the Match performance in a pre-tournament friendly against Panama.
Coutinho gave an assist in the 2-0 win, strengthening his claims for a starting spot. He’ll have to battle Bayern’s superb winger Diego Costa for a spot on the left, with Leandro Lima the no.10 and Willian on the right, but Coutinho’s performance yesterday gives him a good chance of cementing a place in the starting XI.
Check out his best bits, below: