Brazil is in firm control of Conmebol World Cup qualifying. Winners of their first six games the Brazilian’s have a stretch of three games that if they win all nine points, Brazil will virtually be qualified for the next World Cup. Brazil will take on Chile away, and Argentina and Peru at home in this round of games.
Still, Tite’s side will have to do it without nine key players from the Premier League, as Brazil is on the United Kingdom’s red list countries and therefore any player that travels to South America for qualifiers would have to return and have a mandatory 10-day quarantine period to rejoin their teammates. This was something clubs in the Premier League did not want to entertain and therefore requested that those players call ups be cancelled.
Brazil had to make nine emergency call ups to cover those players that are missing and will look to continue to stay undefeated as they look to stamp their ticket to the World Cup in Qatar. Here are the nine players that are not on the Brazilian team.
Nine players missing from Brazil’s World Cup qualifying roster
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The nine Premier League players in question are Alisson, Fabinho, Roberto Firmino (Liverpool); Ederson, Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City); Thiago Silva (Chelsea); Fred (Manchester United); Richarlison (Everton); and Raphinha (Leeds).
All nine of these players stayed behind and were replaced by goalkeepers: Everson (Atletico Mineiro), Santos (Athletico), defender Miranda (Sao Paulo), midfielders Edenilson (Internacional), Gerson (Marseille/FRA), Matheus Nunes (Sporting/POR) and the surprise return of Hulk (Atletico Mineiro), Malcom (Zenit/RUS), Vinicius (Real Madrid/ESP) at forward.
Despite missing nine key players their replacements are more than suitable to help Brazil virtually clinch their spot in the World Cup in 2022. Also, Brazil’s second game in September qualifiers will be against archrivals Argentina in a Copa America final rematch.