The preliminary list is due on Sunday, March 1. We might not get leaks this time, but for me it's time to start thinking about what we might expect to see. Bruno Guimarães and Éder Militão are definite absences. Richarlison returned from injury this weekend. Based on the reports I mentioned above, I'm hopeful that he won't be on the list, but I'm sure he'll be on the longer preliminary list. The Russian league starts again this Friday. Zenit will play one match (this weekend) before the preliminary list and another 3 before the convocação, so I do expect to see Douglas Santos. Vanderson and Wesley are available on the right. The bigger question is if we will see new names at lateral or not. I don't expect to see new names in goal, especially with Bento playing regularly now and Hugo Souza is doing well. At central defense, Bremer is back. He did sit out some games with a recent injury, but is available. If he stays healthy, I hope he is called up. I also hope Alex (Lille) is called up. He came back form injury a while ago but wasn't playing well and ended up on the bench. More recently he has started some matches, and gotten better ratings, but isn't starting every match. I also think Leo Pereira might have a shot, but the Flamengo defense isn't looking great. In midfield, we can expect three definite names: Casemiro, Andrey and Paquetá. We'll probably get two more players called in, but I honestly have no idea who it would be. For attackers, I think we will see the 6 + 1 mentioned above: Estêvão, Gabriel Martinelli, João Pedro, Matheus Cunha, Raphinha, Rodrygo, Vini Jr. Rodrygo is still not back from injury, so maybe that opens up a spot. I expect we'll see 9 or 10 total. I would not be surprised to see Rayan and Endrick for a couple of reasons: they can play off the right, and they are in good form. Endrick had a poor match last weekend, so maybe he still has a ways to go. Rayan offers more, but is greener, so he would be a gamble. Maybe we'll see a number 9 like Igor Thiago or Jesus, but the reports I linked also suggest that's not likely anymore. In summary, I don't expect many new names, but a lot of that will depend on if there are more injuries between now and then, and if the midfield needs new options or will rely on players we've seen before being asked to step up in Bruno Guimarães absence.
Based on recent call-ups and current form, the squad will likely look something like this: GK: Alisson, Ederson, Bento or Hugo Souza RB: Wesley, Vanderson CB: Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães, Bremer, Alex or Fabrício Bruno?, Danilo? LB: Alex Sandro, Caio or Douglas Santos MF: Casemiro, Andrey Santos, Fabinho, Paquetá, Joelinton FW: Vini Jr., Martinelli, João Pedro, Matheus Cunha, Rodrygo, Raphinha, Estêvão, Endrick?, Igor Thiago? The goalkeeper situation is pretty clear. At Right Back, the options are very thin; Vanderson is just returning from injury, so I think Danilo might get the nod again for his versatility. On the Left Back, Alex Sandro is a lock, while the second spot depends on Douglas Santos' form—though Zenit has only played friendlies so far. For the Center Backs, Fabrício Bruno might be the fourth choice. Despite the nightmare game against Japan, Carlo still seems to trust him. Alex would be a much better option, but he’s sidelined with another injury. In Midfield, there isn't a massive pool of elite talent to replace Bruno Guimarães. However, Joelinton has hit great form at Newcastle. Carlo prioritizes physically strong and energetic players, and Joelinton fits that mold perfectly. Focusing on fitness is the right move, as physical conditioning will be the deciding factor in the heat. The Forwards are mostly predictable, except for Endrick and Igor Thiago. Carlo knows Endrick well, so he has a high chance of making the cut. He just needs to tweak his style and stop trying to bulldoze through eight defenders at once—he has everything it takes to be a top striker for the national team for years. As for Igor Thiago, he’s one of the top scorers in arguably the most physical league in the world. I think he’s worth a shot over Richarlison. Hopefully, Carlo gives him a chance.
Neymar netted a brace, showing encouraging signs of a return to form. I would like to see him back in the squad, though perhaps only as a substitute at this stage. He remains a genius and a magician, still capable of delivering brilliant passes and operating in a playmaker role.
Endrick with 2 assists today for Lyon and 2-3 other passes that could have been converted. He has pretty good passing vision.
He missed a couple of chances, but overall looked really dangerous. And after having one bad game and a talking to from the coach, it's good to see him dishing out assists and playing for the team. His pressing on the first goal was solid and contributed to the error that turned the ball over to him. He should have had at least one more assist, but his teammates were missing their chances too. He did lose the ball that led to the winning goal for Marseille, though the biggest problem there was probably the defending, especially Abner Vinicius. But that is probably Endrick's biggest weak point right now.
It's unconfirmed by Real Madrid so far, but reported by Marca and picked up by ge. Rodrygo will be out of the World Cup with an ACL tear: https://ge.globo.com/futebol/futebo...o-anterior-do-joelho-direito-diz-jornal.ghtml Again, not confirmed yet. So I will edit if anything changes. EDIT: it is in fact confirmed now.
With the convocação a week and a half away, ge has a summary of how things look currently: https://ge.globo.com/futebol/seleca...etores-a-100-dias-da-copa-veja-panorama.ghtml Nothing new in the article, and they don't really speculate who should get the spots in March or for the World Cup. But it's a good summary for anyone who's not caught up. Compared to the Pedro Ivo Almeida and Rodrigo Mattos reports, the names that are "locks" and "almost locks" are basically the same, with some differences in which category they're in (for example, Mattos and Pedro Ivo list Martinelli as locks, if I remember correctly, while ge lists him as an almost lock).
With the call-up basically a week away, I am of course keeping track of the convocáveis. Some played today, including Vini. I am worried about how much playing time he'll have. With everyone injured at Real, he'll probably play 90 minutes every match. But the news I'm really posting about is this: Both Vanderson and Caio Henrique started today. Monaco beat PSG (Marquinhos was on the bench for rotation, did not play). But both of them left the match injured. Vanderson left after 15 minutes. Caio Henrique after 54 minutes. It appears both injured their hamstrings, so unless it's the mildest diagnosis, they may both be unavailable for the March friendlies. I was still hopeful for Vanderson, if he could at least get the March call up. But if he is out, he'll have missed 4 Ancelotti call ups in a row and will almost certainly not be an option for the World Cup.
For LB in the squad I think it’ll be Douglas and Alex Sandro. The right side is a problem since Vanderson got injured, so maybe Danilo will be the fifth defender again, he can play on the right too. We could look at someone else before the World Cup, Emerson, Yan Couto or Vitinho from Botafogo. There’s also Arthur from Bayer, but he’s injured too. Overall, among right‑side defenders, only Wesley is performing at a decent level. Arbeloa is now using Vini to the max, he plays every game without being substituted. I’m really hoping for Neymar’s call‑up too, to see what form he’s in against top national teams.
Caio Henrique is confirmed out: https://ge.globo.com/futebol/futebo...-e-nao-pode-ser-convocado-por-ancelotti.ghtml The same article notes that the severity of Vanderson's injury has not been confirmed yet. Also, three names from Cruzeiro have been leaked from the preliminary list: Kaiki, Fabricio Bruno, Kaio Jorge. All of them are probably long shots at this point, but also relevant is that Matheus Pereira is not on the list (I wouldn't expect him to be, but many people want to see him get a chance).
A couple of hopefuls I have my eyes on: Bremer played 90 mins today for Juventus. Has been playing regularly. Ederson (Atalanta) has been out injured, recently. His last match was 2 weeks ago. Atalanta have Champions League this week and one more league match before the convocação. Hopefully he is available. Alexsandro (Lille) has missed the last 3 weeks after finally starting again for 2 matches before that. Lille play tomorrow and then have two more matches before the convocação. He is expected to be available tomorrow, so I hope he remains healthy for the call up.
Alexsandro remained on the bench following an injury. I hope Bremer will be in the squad. Gabi, Marquinhos, Bremer, and likely either Fabricio Bruno or Leo Pereira will form the four center-backs. The midfielders are Fabinho, Casemiro, Andrey, Paqueta, and probably Joelinton, although rumors suggest Marcos Antonio, Matheus Pereira, and Joao Gomes are being considered — though I believe they are not as strong as Joelinton. For the World Cup, when Bruno returns, there will be a very solid midfield five: Bruno, Casemiro, Fabinho, Andrey, and Paqueta. Plus, if Neymar is called up, he will also play as an attacking midfielder.
Well, if the leak is correct, Matheus Pereira is not on the list, so he doesn't really have a shot. https://www.espn.com.br/futebol/sel...laterais-sofrem-lesao-ancelotti-dor-de-cabeca Vanderson confirmed out. Not surprisingly, both Vanderson and Caio Henrique were on the pre-list. It seems Carlos Augusto did not impress the coaching staff, but with so few options and another injured left-back, I would imagine he might be on the pre-list. Personally I'd prefer a Kaiki to be tested if there is a third left-back. I have no clue who would even be considered as an option on the right for this call-up. I could see it being just Wesley and Danilo! But I hope there's someone out there they want to look at. I'm glad Alexsandro was available today. I wonder if he will get playing time in the two remaining matches before the convocação. Endrick did not start today. Probably because Lyon have a midweek match for Europa League. He did come in for about 30 minutes. Average rating, so he didn't stand out. Lyon were losing and tied it on a late penalty (for handball). Wesley also did not play today. He was suspended for yellow card accumulation. Considering Antony was called up once by Ancelotti, I could see him getting a shot. On the other hand, he didn't get playing time during those matches, so he might not be considered again.
A few more leaks reported, including Rayan, Igor Thiago, Endrick as options up front and Leo Pereira and Bremer as options on defense. https://ge.globo.com/futebol/seleca...p&utm_medium=canais&utm_campaign=globoEsporte Reportedly they are keen on bringing in Endrick and Igor Thiago in March. Per the article: "As chances de Endrick estar na lista final são enormes."
Neymar is also on the preliminary list. Ancelotti will be at the game against Mirassol, but Neymar is missing the match due to muscle overload . I think it will be very difficult for Neymar to reach the required fitness levels for the World Cup, perhaps only as a substitute. After all, he is already 34 and has had several knee surgeries. I hope Leo Pereira gets called up; he has deserved it for a long time. I consider him the strongest defender at Fla, but others were always chosen instead. He is also left-footed. I hope Fabricio Bruno isn't called up; he is not at the national team level.
Luciano Juba is also on the pre-list: https://ge.globo.com/ba/futebol/tim...-para-amistosos-contra-franca-e-croacia.ghtml This means we probably know all the left-backs on the list. According to leaks: Kaiki, Caio Henrique, Luciano Juba Likely: Alex Sandro, Douglas Santos Five is usually it for full-backs, but maybe there's another if they really wanted to test this position. On the right, Wesley and Danilo (also CD/LB) are likely, and we know Vanderson was on... but who else? Possibly Paulo Henrique since he was called in before and one more.
And as for Vanderson, he was already unlikely to make the World Cup because he missed this call up, but if he had any hope of going, that's gone now because he will undergo surgery: https://ge.globo.com/futebol/seleca...-disputar-a-copa-do-mundo-fica-distante.ghtml The article says he will be out 3 months. That means he won't be available on May 19 for the convocação. In theory he could be called in later, so the article doesn't say it's over, but realistically it is.
Tough day for a couple of teams in the Champions League. Ederson was not on the bench. Still injured, but listed as "doubtful" maybe he'll be back on the weekend. Maybe it's for the best he missed this match as Atalanta lost 6x1 at home to Bayern. Spurs lost 5x2 to Atletico in Madrid. The first 3, maybe 4, goals were absolute gifts (the first three were from the keeper or defender slipping!). Richarlison got an assist on Spurs' first goal and had a good chance saved. He had the best player rating among Spurs but that's not saying much today. Gabriel Sara is apparently also on the preliminary list: https://ge.globo.com/futebol/seleca...-lista-de-ancelotti-para-jogos-de-marco.ghtml Whether he makes the list of not, I take it as a good sign that they are looking a little wider for midfield options and he has been in good form recently. Botafogo play tonight. If they win they make it to the Libertadores phase. I wonder if Danilo is on the preliminary list as well. No leaks from Botafogo yet, and they do potentially have a name or two that could be there.
A few more names. Danilo (Botafogo) is on the preliminary list. Marcos Antonio, who some Brazilians were speculating about, is not. Vitinho, the right-back is also on it. Video with Pedro Ivo Almeida (note: I had to sit through 21 minutes of inane talk about Neymar until they finally got to the names. The link below starts near the end because that's when they start talking about the preliminary list.
I like the way Sara plays, he’s worth a try. Our right-back situation is pretty depressing, except for Wesley. As for Neymar, he certainly picked a 'great' time to rest — acts like he’s playing in four European tournaments at once. He knew Carlo would be at the match; he should've gone out there and proved himself. He could have taken a break in the next game instead.
Yeah ... he hadn't played in 12 days and needed a break supposedly for load management. Strange to say the least. Unsurprisingly, his sister's and singer buddy Thiaginho's bday is today. Thiaginho was throwing a party yesterday and many eyes were on if Neymar showed up.
Nothing new, though. Just think how many games he’s missed because of all those parties. This guy could’ve been one of the greatest ever—he’s got so much talent—but the problem with our players has always been the partying and all that. I also really loved Joelinton yesterday. He completely dominated the midfield, shut down Fermin and Pedri, and was basically everywhere. I’d still love to see a midfield five of Andrey, Casemiro, Joelinton, Fabinho, and Paqueta in the squad.
Joelinton was a beast yesterday and he showed us that Pedri and the entire FCB (and Spain) midfield can be outmuscled.
I've heard reports that Murillo and Joelinton are also on the preliminary list. Also, Pedro is getting hype since he played well yesterday (actually hustling and pressing) and Juan was at the Maracanã to watch the match.
Another article ahead of the convocação, mostly summarizing speculation so far. In this case, specifically about players that Ancelotti has never called in before: https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/fute...-ancelotti-devem-ter-chance-em-convocacao.htm They say that Gabriel Sara is being closely monitored and his chances of a call-up are high. The four names mentioned are Bremer, Gabriel Sara, Igor Thiago and Rayan. The last one, they say, may be tested now, but has a tougher road to make the final squad. Endrick is not mentioned in this article (EDIT: the headline is "played with Ancelotti" but I was stuck on national team call ups) but is considered to have a high chance as well by most outlets. Convocação is Monday, 3pm local time (2pm Eastern US, now that we're on daylight saving time). I will be out of town, so I probably won't be able to post the list from my phone, but I'll be watching and commenting for sure. I'll probably also post a prediction this weekend, it's always fun to speculate.