“Saquon Barkley Stuns Brazil with Epic 3-TD Debut as Eagles Edge Packers 34-29 in Thrilling Showdown!”

SÃO PAULO — Saquon Barkley leaned back in a chair next to Dom DiSandro in the depths of Corinthians Arena, listening as Nick Sirianni praised him. Barkley, scrolling through his phone, seemed to relish his new reality. After a 10-hour flight, he had just played his first game with the Eagles — a thrilling 34-29 season-opening win over the Green Bay Packers in Brazil. After waiting all summer to wear his new uniform, Barkley finally took the field in his seventh NFL season, now part of an offense unlike any he’d experienced before.

Barkley made an unforgettable debut, scoring three touchdowns and joining Terrell Owens as one of the few high-profile Eagles to pull off a hat trick in their first game.

“A hat trick is never a bad thing,” Barkley said, playing to the Brazilian crowd. “There’s a lot I can do, and that’s the kind of player I am.”

The Eagles recognize that too. Sirianni, reflecting on the game, mentioned the satisfaction of pulling off a hard-fought victory after spending months hearing about their late-season collapse last year. But he also made sure to acknowledge his star running back. Barkley had caught the game’s first touchdown, a toe-tapping 19-yarder, and Sirianni had sprinted down the sideline to celebrate with him.

“That’s something I’ll always remember,” Sirianni said.

The game was historic, marking the first time the Eagles played on South American soil. It took place on an unusual Friday night, kicking off a much-anticipated season. While the pageantry of the match — the wave in the stands, the Brazilian music filling the air — created a spectacle, the true significance lay in the way the Eagles secured their victory.