Brazil unveiled its squad on Monday for the final two matches of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, and the biggest surprise is the absence of Neymar Jr. alongside Real Madrid stars Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo, Eder Militao, and Endrick, several of the team’s top figures left out by Carlo Ancelotti.
Head coach Carlo Ancelotti, speaking at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, explained that Neymar was not included due to “a minor physical issue,” while Vinicius Jr. will also be unavailable due to a one-match suspension.
Brazil’s national team coach Carlo Ancelotti explained in a press conference that his main objective for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers is to get to know more players within his reach. “My idea is to get to know new players whom I don’t know well personally,” the Italian coach said, highlighting the major changes in his squad, which saw nine players from the previous call-up left out.
With Brazil having already secured qualification for next year’s World Cup, Ancelotti chose to call up players who have never been selected before or who have had limited opportunities. The move allows him to observe and test new talent as he evaluates options for the squad he will field in the tournament across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Here is the full list of call-ups:
The real reason for the absence of Real Madrid stars
The absence of the Madrid stars is not due to any issues beyond availability and fitness. Aside from Vinicius Jr.’s suspension, Ancelotti explained that both Vinicius and Rodrygo were excluded because he already knows them very well, while Neymar was left out due to a new injury.
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Ancelotti also emphasized the importance of fitness in his selection process: “A very important criterion for our staff is the physical aspect. Players in the national team must be 100% physically fit. This is a very important criterion for us. Because the competition in every position is very high—right-backs, defenders, midfielders, forwards. The competition is very intense. If a player isn’t 100%, I can call another without any problem,” he said.
Other “surprising” omissions include Eder Militao, who has only played 90 minutes after nine months recovering from injury, and Endrick, who is still rehabilitating.
Regarding Rodrygo, Ancelotti added: “Rodrygo, I obviously have a lot of affection for him, like everyone does. Yesterday he played very well with Real Madrid. It was his first game after a long time, so he has time to prepare properly and return to the national team.” While they could have been included for team bonding, Ancelotti sees this as the perfect opportunity to test new players and evaluate Brazil’s depth ahead of the World Cup.
Surprises and new call-ups
The squad announced Monday includes several players who have never been called up to the national soccer team, including Kaio Jorge of Cruzeiro, the current top scorer in the Campeonato Brasileiro. Among the surprises, midfielder Lucas Paquetá makes his return to the squad after not being called since investigations into his alleged involvement in a sports betting fraud network began.
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In their final two qualifying matches, Brazil will host Chile on September 4 at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro and then travel to face Bolivia five days later in El Alto, at 4,100 meters above sea level. Brazil mathematically secured its spot in the 2026 World Cup in June with a victory over Paraguay in São Paulo, with Ancelotti already in charge of the team.
