New Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti has left Neymar out of his first squad and has brought back Casemiro, Richarlison and Antony for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Brazil plays at Ecuador on June 5 before hosting Paraguay on June 10.
Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, Neymar featured in Santos’ past two games after recovering from a muscular injury. Brazil has been without its talisman since October 2023, when he tore his left ACL and meniscus while on international duty.
“I tried to select players who are in good shape,” Ancelotti said on Monday. “Neymar had an injury recently. “Everyone knows that Neymar is a very important player, he always has been and always will be.”
Tottenham forward Richarlison and Manchester United midfielder Casemiro have not played for the national team since October 2023.
Asked about Casemiro, who has made 75 appearances for Brazil and played for Ancelotti at Real Madrid, the Italian manager said: “In my opinion, he is a great player. I was lucky to be with him, I think the national team needs this type of player who has charisma, personality, talent. Brazil has always had a lot of talent.
“In modern soccer, you have to add attitude, commitment, sacrifice, and Casemiro has that. And many of those who have been called up have that.”
Antony, who has enjoyed an impressive loan spell at Real Betis from Man United, is also in the squad. He will face competition for playing time with Raphinha and Vinícius Júnior.
Raphinha scored 34 goals and provided 22 assists in 54 games for LaLiga champions Barça this season.
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Vinícius played for Ancelotti at Madrid and finished as the Ballon d’Or runner-up in October. The forward has scored only six goals in 39 appearances since making his Brazil debut in 2019, but Ancelotti is convinced he will deliver for the national team.
“It’s hard to say, because Vini hasn’t shown his best side yet,” he said. “If that hasn’t happened, it will, because he’s an extraordinary player, hard-working and a fighter.
“The truth is that Brazilian players are very fond of their national team, and this may affect their natural thinking, in the sense that sometimes they feel a lot of pressure to perform well. This may prevent them from performing well. I am totally convinced that Vini will show his true colors with his national team.”
Brazil has yet to qualify for next year’s World Cup and is fourth in the South American group, having lost five of 14 games.
Brazil squad:
Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Bento (Al Nassr), Hugo Souza (Corinthians).
Defenders: Alexsandro (Flamengo), Alexsandro Ribeiro (Lille), Beraldo (PSG), Carlos Augusto (Inter Milan), Danilo (Flamengo), Léo Ortiz (Flamengo), Marquinhos (PSG), Vanderson (Monaco), Wesley (Flamengo).
Midfielders: Andreas Pereira (Fulham), Andrey Santos (Strasbourg), Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Éderson (Atalanta), Gerson (Flamengo).
Forwards: Antony (Betis), Estêvão (Palmeiras), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Matheus Cunha (Wolverhampton), Raphinha (Barcelona), Richarlison (Tottenham), Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid).
