Carlo Ancelotti confirmed his latest Brazil squad on Thursday ahead of the Seleção’s upcoming friendlies against South Korea (October 10) and Japan (October 14). Among the players returning are Real Madrid stars Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo Goes, and Éder Militão.
For Rodrygo, it marks his first call-up since being left out of the previous international break. Ancelotti defended the forward in the press conference, praising both his form and his importance to the national team:
“Rodrygo is coming back
because he’s in great form. He doesn’t play much, but every time he’s come on, he’s played well. He’s in good physical shape, like all Brazilian players. He’s very motivated to be here. He’s a very important player for this national team because he has very important technical qualities. He can play in all attacking positions. He’s going to help the team a lot.”
The coach went on to stress that Rodrygo remains a key figure for Brazil despite the competition he faces for minutes at Real Madrid:
“I don’t have anything special to say about Rodrygo. Everyone knows him. He’s had some problems in the past, but he’s overcome them very well. He’s very motivated. He’s doing well. In the big teams, the competition is tough, but he seems to be in very good physical shape. I want to see him here with the others.”
Militão, who sat out Madrid’s most recent game due to a knock, has also been recalled. Ancelotti downplayed concerns about the defender’s fitness, explaining that the decision was made in coordination with Real Madrid’s medical staff:
“He had a problem in the last match, a knock, but the national team’s medical committee and Real Madrid’s are in contact. I spoke with him, and if he’s okay and has no problems, I’d like him to be with us.”
While the Brazil boss is still without injured players like Raphinha, he acknowledged that this squad is starting to resemble the one he expects to take to the 2026 World Cup:
“It’s not the final list, but many will be at the World Cup. It’s a list conditioned by the injuries we’ve had in recent days.”
