Brazil have announced a full-strength squad for upcoming friendlies against Australia and India. The star footballers, including Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior and Endrick, Barcelona’s Raphinha, Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes and Bruno Guimaraes, Paris Saint-Germain’s captain Marquinhos and Chelsea’s Joao Pedro, have been named in the 25-man squad.
The Carlo Ancelotti side will play Australia twice before on October 3. It was initially believed that Brazil may not send their star-studded squad for the three friendlies, especially given India’s current run of form, but Ancelotti made it clear that he is already building a squad for the 2030 World Cup.
Hence, several youngsters have been named in the squad, who can be key for the side in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as well. With that, the former Real Madrid manager aims to build the foundation of Brazil’s next generation, especially after a disappointing World Cup campaign.
“The World Cup was a disappointment for us and for me personally. We weren’t able to play the way we expected. Being eliminated by Norway was a huge letdown because the team had actually played well up until the 60th minute of that match. We struggled in the first half, but the team improved after that. The defeat to Norway came as a surprise in that sense, because no one expected it to happen,” Ancelotti said after naming his latest squad.
“At a club, you have the chance to process things and move on relatively quickly because there’s another competition coming up; with the national team, it’s more complicated. The pain of the defeat lingers much longer. Now, however, we are motivated by the fact that we have time to prepare for a new cycle and get ready for the upcoming competitions,” he added.
Liverpool’s Alisson Becker dropped
The goalkeeper position has also been reshaped. Three new goalkeepers were selected, while Liverpool’s Alisson Becker was omitted. Ancelotti said the decision was designed to give younger options priority during the friendlies rather than permanently close the door on the experienced goalkeeper.
“That doesn’t mean the others are excluded. We know Alisson very well, and when the competitions — like the Copa America — come, if he remains being the best goalkeeper in Brazil, Alisson will play. Right now, however, we have to prioritise the younger ones,” Ancelotti said.
In the meantime, Casemiro and Fabinho are also missing, while Neymar is no longer part of the international setup after ending his Brazil career following the World Cup.
Brazil squad:
Goalkeepers: Hugo Souza (Corinthians), Pedro Morisco (Coritiba), Otavio (Cruzeiro).
Defenders: Arthur Dias (Athletico Paranaense), Wesley (Roma), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal), Douglas Santos (Zenit St. Petersburg), Jair (Nottingham Forest), Matheuzinho (Corinthians), Maurio Junior (PSV Eindhoven), Vitor Reis (Manchester City).
Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes (Arsenal), Andrey Santos (Manchester United), Danilo Santos (Botafogo), Douglas Luiz (Juventus), Breno Bidon (Corinthians), Gabriel Bontempo (Santos).
Forwards: Endrick, Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rayan (Bournemouth), Joao Pedro (Chelsea), Samuel Lino and Pedro (Flamengo).