Eliminating Neymar, Ancelotti announces Brazil's "strongest in the world" squad

The ceremony to announce the new national team coach was held quite solemnly by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) in Rio de Janeiro. Present with CBF officials, Luiz Felipe Scolari - the coach who led Brazil to the most recent World Cup championship in 2002 - handed his 65-year-old colleague Carlo Ancelotti the yellow-green shirt of the national team and sent many hopes.

Loại Neymar, Ancelotti công bố đội hình Brazil — New CBF president Xamir Saud presents Selecao jersey to Ancelotti

"I am very proud to lead the best team in the world . I have a big job ahead, many challenges but also many expectations. Our only goal is that Brazil will win the 2026 World Cup," Carlo Ancelotti said at the launch ceremony.

Ancelotti is the first foreign coach to be appointed as Selecao boss in six decades. The veteran Italian has extensive experience at the highest level, although he has never managed a national team.

He led Real Madrid for two spells, winning three Champions League titles and two La Liga titles. Under his leadership, AC Milan won the Champions League twice, Chelsea won the Premier League and FA Cup, while PSG and Bayern Munich won all the domestic titles.

It took the CBF nearly two years to convince Ancelotti to take over the Brazil national team in the hope of helping the team overcome its long-standing crisis. The "Selecao" have only reached the semi-finals of the World Cup once in the last five tournaments, ironically, that was the tournament Brazil lost miserably at home in 2014 (losing to Germany 1-7 in the semi-finals, then losing to the Netherlands in the third-place match 0-3)!

Ancelotti is Brazil's fourth coach in two years, since they were beaten by Croatia in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup. The Selecao have struggled to find their form after losing five of their last 14 matches, conceding 16 goals. Brazil's form in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers was particularly poor, leading to coach Dorival Junior being sacked in March after a 4-1 defeat to arch-rivals Argentina.

Carlo Ancelotti's first job as head coach was to name the Brazil squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June. He did not include Neymar, Brazil's biggest star, as he is recovering from an injury sustained in April. Neymar last played for Brazil in October 2023.

Not only did Ancelotti omit Neymar from the list, he also did not call up two young Real Madrid stars, Rodrygo and Endrick, also due to injury. It was a bit of a surprise but not too surprising when Ancelotti announced the return of midfielder Casemiro and striker Richarlison, the duo who have not played for Brazil since 2023.

Among the 25 players present this time, many have just had successful seasons in Europe, such as Alisson Becker (Liverpool), Andreas Pereira (Fulham), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Martinelli (Arsenal), Matheus Cunha (Wolverhampton), Raphinha (Barcelona) or Antony (Betis)...

Brazil squad list:

Goalkeepers : Alisson (Liverpool), Bento (Al-Nassr), Hugo Souza (Corinthians).

Defenders : Alex Sandro, Danilo, Leo Ortiz, Wesley (Flamengo), Alexsandro (Lille), Lucas Beraldo, Marquinhos (Paris St.Germain), Carlos Augusto (Inter Milan), Vanderson (Monaco).

Midfielders : Andreas Pereira (Fulham), Andrey Santos (Strasbourg), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Casemiro (Man United), Ederson (Atalanta), Gerson (Flamengo).

Forwards: Antony (Real Betis), Estevao (Palmeiras), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Matheus Cunha (Wolves), Raphinha (Barcelona), Richarlison (Tottenham), Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid).

Source: https://nld.com.vn/loai-neymar-ancelotti-cong-bo-doi-hinh-brazil-manh-nhat-the-gioi-196250527073116506.htm