Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti surprised this Monday by presenting the list of 23 players called up for the last matches of the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. The absence of Neymar, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo dominated the attention, while Several debutants will have the opportunity to showcase their talent in September against Chile and Bolivia.

“The goal is to get to know new players that I don't know well on a personal level,” explained the Italian coach, justifying his decision to renew his squad and leave out nine players who had been on the last list.

Renewal with an eye to the World Cup

Brazil has already secured its ticket to the World Cup, which will be played in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. That peace of mind allowed Ancelotti to opt for experimentation. He made it clear that Vinicius and Rodrygo were not included because he already knows what they can contribute, while Neymar was ruled out due to a re-injury that keeps him under medical treatment.

Furthermore, Vinicius could not be in the match against Chile due to a suspension for accumulating yellow cards, which limited his participation only to the match against Bolivia in the altitude of El Alto. Neymar, meanwhile, hasn't played for the "Canarinha" since October 2023 and is recovering from leg swelling.

With these absences, Ancelotti opened the door to young talent. Among the notable names is Kaio Jorge, Cruzeiro's top scorer, who had never been called up to the senior national team. He also highlighted the return of midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who has been absent since being investigated for sports betting.

The Brazilian national team will face Chile on September 4 at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro and five days later will travel to La Paz to face Bolivia at the 4,100-meter altitude of El Alto. These matches will be the last opportunity for several players to showcase themselves before the start of the friendly season in October, when Brazil will face Japan and South Korea.

Currently, the “Verdeamarela” is in third place in the South American standings with 25 points, the same as Ecuador, although with a lower goal difference. Argentina leads the table.

Called by Ancelotti

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Bento (Al Nassr) and Hugo Souza (Corinthians).

Defenders: Alexandro Ribeiro (Lille), Alex Sandro (Flamengo), Caio Henrique (Monaco), Douglas Santos (Zenit), Fabricio Bruno (Cruzeiro), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Marquinhos (PSG), Vanderson (Monaco) and Wesley (Roma).

Midfielders: Andre Santos (Chelsea), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Joelinton (Newcastle) and Lucas Paqueta (West Ham).