This coming Monday, May 18, at 5:45 PM Brasília time (4:45 PM Eastern), Carlo Ancelotti will call up the 26 players who will represent Brazil at this summer’s World Cup in North America.
Below, per Globo, is the 55-man list from which he will select his final squad. The only surprises in here are pretty minor, I’d say, and anyone whose inclusion raises some eyebrows probably doesn’t have much of a chance of making the final squad anyway: Lucas Beraldo missing out to the likes of Natan is a bit of a curveball, Gabriel Jesus has returned to the broader picture out of absolutely nowhere, and Thiago Silva’s inclusion is actually a pleasant development.
Below the list, you’ll find my own 26-man World Cup squad I’d call up out of these 55 players.
Apparently, Bruno Fernandes is having one of the best seasons of passing in the history of the Premier League. The stat guys say his numbers are the best in the league, he just broke David Beckham’s club record for most assists in a season, and he’s only four assists off the all-time Premier League record with seven games remaining.
I would not have believed this, because every time I see Bruno in a highlight, it seems to be him throwing away a promising break by shooting from 30 yards out rather than passing to an open teammate.
I wrote those paragraphs right after watching Brazil’s loss to France on Thursday, and only just came back to them this Monday evening, finding myself wondering just what exactly I was going on about. Something about, at least Bruno is posting good stats behind the scenes even if he’s taking these moronic low-percentage shots every time I glance up at him, and it’d be nice if Brazil could at least back up their own moronic low-percentage shooting like that?
But then I actually looked at the stats (Brazil is on the left in the screenshot below), and, well, I’ll be damned:
So what’s the lesson here? Is it that Brazil were secretly better than the eye test showed against France? Is it that statistics are a mixed bag that can color and sometimes even change the narrative built around the game? Or is it that fancy metrics are bullshit, the eye test is all that really matters, and Bruno Fernandes is in fact an infuriating ball hog?
Right now, I lean towards the latter, and not just because it lets me keep hating on Bruno Fernandes.
Brazil’s performance against France was…not good. I wrote in my big 2026 preview that Carlo Ancelotti’s coaching tenure was already showing some worrying signs, and they were all very much on display on Thursday. He continues to insist blindly on the same 4-2-4 as his predecessors, cramming all our star attackers into the lineup with no thought to how they’ll combine with each other. The intensity and quality of play is extremely inconsistent at best. The defense still makes at least one catastrophic error per game. He’s already picked favorites, and made some troubling picks; he revealed today that he appears to have bet his entire life savings on Danilo Will Come Good Island rising from the waves and becoming a prime resort destination.1
All of this would be at least somewhat excusable if the team were playing well, or at least winning games like these, but that’s not happening! France went down to ten men and then nonchalantly tore through Brazil like it was nothing. If not for Les Bleus’ own tendency, I’m sure very annoying to their fans, of only playing up to their incredible talent level for what feels like five total minutes a game and then walking around in second gear for the rest, we could have had a much more embarrassing scoreline. We only really stepped up in the final few minutes, with Bremer scoring a nice goal (the other Danilo, now officially christened Good Danilo, created that chance and was one of the few bright spots for Brazil) and nearly assisting a would-be last-second Vini equalizer, and even then the team was listless, disorganized, incoherent, its star players lacking any understanding with or confidence with each other or anything except their own ability to charge into the teeth of the defense and lose the ball (mainly talking about you here, Vini) and its lesser lights getting completely obliterated by Kylian Mbappé. (Seriously, how is Léo Pereira that slow? Bremer isn’t exactly fast, and yet Pereira ended up at least twice as far away from Mbappé as he did.2)
The question is: will anything change against Croatia?
Brazil vs. Croatia
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida, USA, March 31, 2026
Kickoff: 8:00 PM EST / 9:00 PM BRT / 12:00 AM GMT
US TV/Streaming: ESPN Deportes
Starting XI: Bento, Ibañez, Marquinhos, Léo Pereira, Douglas Santos; Casemiro, Good Danilo; Luiz Henrique, Matheus Cunha, João Pedro, Vini Jr.
On The Bench: Ederson, Hugo Souza; Bad Danilo, Kaiki, Bremer, Vitor Reis(called up Friday); Andrey Santos, Gabriel Sara, Fabinho; Endrick, Igor Thiago, Gabriel Martinelli, Rayan. (Raphinha and Wesley out injured.)
Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts, USA, March 26, 2026
Kickoff: 4:00 PM EST / 5:00 PM BRT / 8:00 PM GMT
US TV/Streaming:ESPN2, ESPN Deportes
Starting XI: Ederson; Wesley, Ibañez, Léo Pereira, Douglas Santos; Casemiro, Andrey Santos; Raphinha, Matheus Cunha, Vini Júnior, Gabriel Martinelli.
On The Bench: Bento, Hugo Souza (replaces Alisson); Kaiki (replaces Alex Sandro), Bremer, Danilo (Flamengo), Marquinhos out vs. France, Gabriel Magalhães cut for injury and not replaced;Danilo (Botafogo), Gabriel Sara, Fabinho; Endrick, Igor Thiago, João Pedro, Luiz Henrique, Rayan.
It is February 2026, and the Brazil national team slumbers still through international football’s comically long (northern hemisphere) winter hibernation. The memories of the Seleção’s last games in November have begun to fade; it is still a little too early to be thinking too hard about the upcoming end-of-March games against France and Croatia. And yet, it is beyond time to be worrying about what the heck will happen at the World Cup in June.
More so than in the leadup to any other World Cup I can remember, it is wildly unclear what, if anything, we should expect from Brazil this summer. The entire cycle since Qatar 2022 has been an unmitigated disaster, with the scandal-ridden CBF administration thrusting one incompetent coachafter another into the Seleção job1 to the tune of several historic losses—right up until, somehow, just before his rampant corruption and comical mismanagement finally toppled him, federation president Ednaldo Rodrigues actually managed to sign Carlo Ancelotti as Brazil’s new coach.
Signing one of the best coaches of the 21st century understandably lifted the general mood. Brazil’s results have improved since Ancelotti took over, the team officially qualified for the World Cup with games to spare (though things might still have been hairy if not for the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams, which increased the number of automatic qualifying spots in CONMEBOL from four to six), and the draw put us in a very winnable group with a potentially clear path through the knockout rounds until (checks notes) oh great, a possible quarterfinal rematch with Croatia.
But I want to delay worrying about that for just a little longer. Instead, I’ll be kicking off 2026 by digging into the current state of the Seleção and the burning questions still surrounding the team ahead of the World Cup.
Well, shit. I’ve had very little time to write up match threads for some past FIFA dates, but this week, having just come back from one trip and about to leave for another in a matter of days, I really don’t have time. That might change in time for me to write something more substantial after the Senegal game, but for now, this is all I can give you.
Brazil vs. Senegal
Emirates Stadium, London, England, November 15, 2025
Kickoff: 11:00 AM EST / 1:00 PM BRT / 4:00 PM GMT
US TV/Streaming: BeIN Sports En Español (available on FuboTV and the Spanish Plus package on YouTube TV, among others)
Brazil vs. Tunisia
Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France, November 18, 2025
Kickoff: 2:30 PM EST / 4:30 PM BRT / 7:30 PM GMT
US TV/Streaming: BeIN Sports En Español (available on FuboTV and the Spanish Plus package on YouTube TV, among others)
The Squad:
Goalkeepers: Bento (Al-Nassr), Ederson (Fenerbahçe), John (Nottingham Forest).
Defensores: Alex Sandro (Flamengo), Danilo (Flamengo), Caio Henrique (Monaco), Éder Militão (Real Madrid), Fabrício Bruno (Cruzeiro), Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal), Luciano Juba (Bahia), Marquinhos (PSG), Paulo Henrique (Vasco), Wesley (Roma).
Meio-campistas: Andrey Santos (Chelsea), Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Fabinho (Al-Ittihad), Paquetá (West Ham).
Atacantes: Estevão (Chelsea), João Pedro (Chelsea), Luiz Henrique (Zenit), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Richarlison (Tottenham), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Vini Jr (Real Madrid), Vitor Roque (Palmeiras).
Why am I always so busy during matchweeks? Once again, I barely have time to write anything. Which reminds me: hey, does anyone else have an essay on Brazilian soccer they’re just burning to let out? If so, fill out this form so I can know about it! I’d love to run something more in-depth during these increasingly lengthy periods where I’m busy with other things.
Brazil vs. South Korea
Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea October 10, 2025
Kickoff: 7:00 AM EDT / 8:00 AM BRT / 11:00 AM GMT
US TV/Streaming: none 🙁
Likely Starting XI: Bento; Vitinho, Éder Militão, Gabriel Magalhães, Douglas Santos; Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães; Estêvão, Matheus Cunha, Vini Júnior, Rodrygo.
On The Bench: John, Hugo Souza; Caio Henrique, Carlos Augusto, Fabrício Bruno, Lucas Beraldo, Vitinho; André, João Gomes, Joelinton, Lucas Paquetá; Gabriel Martinelli, Luiz Henrique, Richarlison, Igor Jesus.
Brazil vs. Japan
Tokyo Stadium, Tokyo, Japan, October 15, 2025
Kickoff: 6:30 AM EDT / 7:30 AM BRT / 10:30 AM GMT
US TV/Streaming: none 🙁
Notes and Storylines
Again, don’t have much time, but…
South Korea have performed legendary giant-killings at the past two World Cups, knocking out Germany in 2018 and then securing their own spot in the knockout stage in 2022 by coming from behind to beat Portugal in the final group game, but they have not given Brazil much trouble at all in recent meetings. Five months before that 2022 World Cup, we beat them 5-1 in a friendly, and then in that World Cup round of 16 we were 4-0 up at halftime. That’s the sort of recent record where we should probably be concerned if we don’t win handily.
Japan should give us a tougher test, but I don’t even want to think ahead to Tuesday at this point. Bit of a shame Neymar isn’t fit, actually—if there were any favorable circumstance in which to give him one more chance for Brazil, it’d be against the team he’s scored more goals against for Brazil than any other.
That round of 16 game, incidentally, marks the last time Richarlison scored for Brazil—a drought that will soon turn three. But then again, nobody wearing any number with 9 in it has scored for Brazil since Igor Jesus against Chile, a whole year ago.
Rodrygo is finally back! I know I’ve griped in the past about his frustrating performances for Brazil, but I am very curious to see how he’ll play in his first Seleção games under Carlo Ancelotti’s tutelage. With Vini seemingly playing through the middle, he’ll even have the rare opportunity to play in his preferred left-wing spot.
What is Bento doing starting this game? I’m not following him too closely in Saudi Arabia, but I think that’s fine because he plays in Saudi Arabia! Júlio César, a much more pedigreed goalkeeper, spent the year leading up to the 2014 World Cup playing in MLS and we all know how that turned out. That, and it’s not hard to find instances of Bento fucking something up even in the Saudi League. This flap at air that cost Al-Nassr the Saudi Super Cup final was just two months ago. Oh well—it sounds like Hugo Souza might start vs. Japan since Ancelotti wants to give other goalies a chance in Alisson’s absence, and that’s likely to be a tougher test anyway.
Estadio Municipal de El Alto, El Alto, Bolivia, September 9, 2025
Kickoff: 7:30PM EDT / 8:30 PM BRT / 11:30 PM GMT
US TV/Streaming: ViX Deportes ($8.99/month), Fanatiz ($59.99 pay-per-view).
Likely Starting XI: Alisson, Vitinho (Wesley), Fabrício Bruno, Alexsandro, Caio Henrique; Andrey Santos, Bruno Guimarães e Lucas Paquetá; Luiz Henrique, Samuel Lino e Richarlison.
On The Bench: Bento, Hugo Souza; Caio Henrique, Wesley(Vitinho), Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães; Jean Lucas, Andreas Pereira (replaces the injured Kaio Jorge); Gabriel Martinelli, João Pedro, Raphinha. (Casemiro is suspended after receiving a yellow card vs. Chile.)
I don’t think I’ll have much time to write out a proper preview for this one, so I wanted to make sure to get this out.
Brazil vs. Chile
Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, September 4, 2025
Kickoff: 8:30PM EDT / 9:30 PM BRT / 12:30 AM GMT
US TV/Streaming: ViX Deportes ($8.99/month). Some sources claim it will also be on Peacock ($7.99+/month), but I can’t confirm that.
Likely Starting XI: Alisson, Wesley, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães, Douglas Santos; Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães; Raphinha, Estêvão, João Pedro, Gabriel Martinelli.
On The Bench: Bento, Hugo Souza; Caio Henrique, Vitinho, Alexsandro, Fabrício Bruno; Andrey Santos, Jean Lucas, Lucas Paquetá; Kaio Jorge, Luiz Henrique, Richarlison, Samuel Lino.
Last December, Botafogo rolled in to what had been known, in years past, as the Club World Cup, having survived a brutal gauntlet of games. Two draws after the year’s last international break had left them tied with Palmeiras with three games to go in the league and a suddenly winner-take-all clash between the two up next on the calendar. They handily beat Palmeiras in Rio, but four days later they had to be in Buenos Aires for the Copa Libertadores final, a product of CONMEBOL restructuring the tournament in 2017 to conclude far later in the year than the previous July-August range. Once again, they handily beat Atlético-MG in that game—something of a shock given that they went down to ten men after just 30 seconds—then returned to Brazil for their final two league games, each just four days after the previous game, each against top-six teams still fighting for a Libertadores spot next season, still needing to win them both to be assured of the title. Botafogo won them both, securing their first Brasileirão title since 1995 to go alongside their first Libertadores trophy ever, and their reward? Fly to Qatar and play Pachuca of Mexico, this time just three days after their last game, in the newly rechristened Intercontinental Cup. The reward for the winner? A match against Al-Ahly of Egypt just three days after that, all for the ultimate prize: the coveted showdown between the best club in Brazil and the best club in Europe.
Did I mention that those two draws after the international break were also three days apart, and thus that Botafogo’s game against Pachuca was going to be their seventh in just 22 days, all of them carrying unbelievably high stakes for the team and thus making it hard to rest any of their regular starters? Did I also mention that Pachuca came into the match having not played a single game in over a month? Perhaps we shouldn’t have been surprised that Botafogo lost handily after falling apart in the second half.
We were guaranteed one Brazilian club in the Club World Cup quarterfinals, but a second seemed far from certain. That the second one ended up being Fluminense might be the biggest surprise of all.
Fluminense vs. Al-Hilal
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida, July 4, 2025
Kickoff: 3:00PM EDT / 4:00 PM BRT / 7:00 PM GMT
Quick hits: Perhaps Fluminense’s win over Inter Milan wasn’t quite as big an upset as it initially felt like it should be. I stand by my general thoughts before the round of 16 that Flu aren’t nearly as good a team as Flamengo. But while Inter might have just reached the Champions League final, not only did they get blown out in that game, but they spent the Club World Cup dealing with an injury crisis so severe that they sent four players home after the group stage. Bayern Munich may have lost to Inter in the Champions League, but they’re generally healthier right now and are historically much more of a club that you’d expect to show up consistently for any given game.
Recent Comments