To Call Up

The announcement last month of Brazil roster (pronunciation*)  for the World Cup was nothing shy of** media show. Sports commentators and analysts nationwide placed their bets on what players they thought would be called up, and helped fuel an already lively debate that was on everyone’s lips.

So much anticipation was built up that a significant part of the media treated the day of the announcement as the equivalent of a presidential inauguration. It’s official: we live in soccer land!

In the end, the absence of Adriano, who had been constantly called up by Dunga in recent matches, and Santos' celebrated prodigies, Neymar and Ganso, frustrated a considerable portion of both the fans and the media.

To be called up, as used in the context above, means to be asked to join a group, such as the army or a sports team.

Read these examples:

Ronaldinho hasn’t been called up for Brazil’s national team since April 2009.
[Ronaldinho não tem sido convocado para a seleção desde abril de 2009.]

The government called up the National Guard.
[O Governo convocou a Guarda Nacional.]

The noun form of ‘to call up’ is, well ‘call-up’. For example:

Felipe Melo was ecstatic over the call-up.
[Felipe Melo estava em êxtase por causa de sua convocação.]

Grafite earned his first call-up for the World Cup.
[Grafite ganhou sua primeira convocação para a Copa do mundo.]



PS:

*to hear the word, mouse over the entry in pink listed on the left-hand column.

**nothing shy of = is the perfect description of