Ancelotti surprises: Neymar, Vinícius, and Rodrygo out of Brazil

Ancelotti surprises with Brazil squad: Neymar, Vinícius, and Rodrygo out

The Brazilian coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has announced the list of players called up for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The main news is the absence of key figures such as Neymar, Vinícius, and Rodrygo. Ancelotti has chosen to include several players who will debut with the national team and has left out some of the usuals. The Italian coach seeks to try new options and evaluate the performance of footballers he has not had the opportunity to get to know in depth.

The idea I have is to meet new players that I don’t know well on a personal level.
Carlo Ancelotti

The decision not to call up Vinícius and Rodrygo is because Ancelotti already knows them well. In Neymar’s case, his absence is justified by a new injury that keeps him off the field. Brazil, already qualified for next year’s World Cup, will take advantage of these matches to give opportunities to new talents and refine the team’s strategy. Ancelotti will be able to evaluate the players called up in September and begin to define the team that will compete in the World Cup. Among the surprises of the call-up is the return of Lucas Paquetá, who had not been called up due to investigations into alleged complicity in sports betting fraud. Vinícius’ absence extends to the fact that he must serve a suspension for accumulation of yellow cards, so he would only be available for the match against Bolivia. Neymar, who hasn’t played for Brazil since October 2023 due to various injuries, is undergoing intensive treatment for edema in his leg. In their upcoming qualifying matches, the Brazilian national team will face Chile on September 4 at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro and will visit Bolivia on September 9 in El Alto. Brazil secured its World Cup qualification last June after defeating Paraguay in São Paulo, with Ancelotti at the helm of the team. Brazil currently holds the third position in the South American qualifiers standings, with 25 points, the same as Ecuador, which is in second place due to goal difference.