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Sports Desk, May 27, 2025 : After much anticipation, Carlo Ancelotti has taken charge as the head coach of the Brazil national football team and announced his first squad. Notably, star forward Neymar has been left out of the team for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. Ancelotti, the former Real Madrid manager, has recalled Casemiro, Richarlison, and Antony to the Seleção squad, which will face Ecuador on June 5 and Paraguay on June 10 in the South American World Cup qualifying campaign.
Neymar, Brazil’s all-time top scorer, recently returned to action for Santos after recovering from a muscle injury. He has been sidelined from international duty since October 2023, when he suffered an ACL and meniscus injury in his left leg during a national team match. Explaining Neymar’s exclusion, Ancelotti said, “I’ve tried to select players who are in form. Neymar has recently been injured. Everyone knows he’s a crucial player for Brazil and will always be part of our plans.”
Ancelotti also highlighted the return of Casemiro and Richarlison, who have been absent from the national team since October 2023. The Italian coach praised Casemiro, with whom he worked at Real Madrid, saying, “He’s an exceptional player. Working with him is a privilege. Brazil needs players with his personality and talent. Modern football requires talent combined with attitude, commitment, and sacrifice, qualities Casemiro possesses.” He added that other selected players also embody these traits.
Antony, who joined Real Betis on loan from Manchester United, earned a recall after proving himself anew. However, he will need to compete with in-form stars like Raphinha and Vinicius Junior to secure a regular spot. Raphinha, playing for La Liga champions Barcelona, has scored 34 goals and provided 22 assists in 54 matches across all competitions this season.
Vinicius, a favorite of Ancelotti’s from their time at Real Madrid, finished second in the 2024 Ballon d’Or race. Despite scoring only six goals in 39 matches for Brazil since his debut in 2019, Ancelotti remains optimistic about Vinicius’s potential, stating, “Vinicius hasn’t shown his best yet. He’s a hardworking and resilient player, and I believe he has much more to offer.”
Ancelotti also addressed the pressure Brazilian players face when representing the national team, which can impact their performance. “Brazilian players are eager to play for the national team, which sometimes creates extra pressure. I’m fully satisfied with Vinicius and hope he’ll soon find his best form in the national jersey,” he said.
Brazil, currently fourth in the 10-team South American World Cup qualifying table, has struggled, losing five of their 14 matches so far. Ancelotti’s squad selection signals his intent to blend experience with form to guide Brazil through the challenging qualifiers.
