Everton’s newest international will be Beto after the striker accepted a call up for Guinea-Bissau where he could make his debut in the October international break.
The African nation face Mali in the AFCON qualifiers and has convinced the Everton striker to join up with the squad for the crucial game. It would be the first time Beto has played international football despite qualifying to play for both Guinea-Bissau and Portugal.
Former Everton coach Luis Boa Morte is manager at the emerging African nation, which first qualified for AFCON in 2017 and have appeared four times since.
With Cristiano Ronaldo and a host of other strikers ahead of him in the pecking order for Portugal, he failed to secure a call up despite being named in the 55-man preliminary squad for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Born in Lisbon in Portugal but of Guinea-Bassau descent, 26-year-old Beto will now play for the African side after giving up on turning out for Portugal. It means extra travel for the Everton striker but some important minutes on the pitch after a start to the season that has seen limited opportunities for Everton. The fitness of Dominic Calvert-Lewin has led to a small number of cameo appearances and a single goal against Doncaster Rovers in the League Cup.
Beto faces a tough season at Everton. At the tail end of the previous season Everton manager Sean Dyche preferred Portuguese youngster Youssef Chermiti over Beto and the former had an excellent pre-season, scoring twice against Sligo Rovers and putting in some excellent performances. His return from injury, plus the introduction of new loan man Armando Broja could limit his appearances further.
Everton will not have to worry about losing Beto for long periods this season. The next AFCON takes place in December 2025 and January 2026, meaning the club will not lose the likes of Idrissa Gana Gueye, Abdoulaye Doucore or Beto this year to international tournaments.