Less than a year ago, Eder Militao was suiting up for Brazil in an international friendly against Tunisia. Unfortunately, he’ll miss the 2026 World Cup following surgery on his left hamstring (biceps femoris) back in April, which sidelined him for several months.
Militao was slated to be one of the veteran anchors for Brazil‘s defense. As a proven, powerful presence on the backline, his absence strips the national team of a crucial option to contain dangerous group-stage rivals like Morocco.
At just 28 years old, Militao is highly valuable to Brazil. Despite the massive blow, the national team has scrambled to adjust and keep its defensive strategy from collapsing ahead of the tournament.
Who replaces Militão in the Brazil squad?
There isn’t a single player who can directly replace what Militao brings to the pitch. Instead, the coaching staff has had to restructure the defense entirely without him. Gabriel Magalhães, one of the younger center-backs on the roster, will now get a major opportunity to prove himself on the world stage.
For now, Brazil’s backline still looks solid without Militao. With Alex Sandro, Danilo, and Marquinhos providing veteran leadership, it remains a formidable unit that can even step up to help the midfield when needed. Ancelotti will have plenty of time to fine-tune the adjustments during the World Cup.
Militao is expected to be out for at least the next four to five months. It will be a while before he anchors a defense again, and it’s not just his national team eager for his recovery, Real Madrid will also need him healthy and ready for next season.
