This morning, Tite announced Brazil’s squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela on November 13 and Uruguay on November 17:

Goalkeepers: Alisson, Ederson, Weverton

Right-backs: Danilo, Gabriel Menino

Left-backs: Alex Telles, Renan Lodi

Center-Backs: Éder Militão, Marquinhos, Rodrigo Caio, Thiago Silva

Midfielders: Casemiro, Douglas Luiz, Arthur, Everton Ribeiro, Fabinho, Philippe Coutinho

Forwards: Everton Cebolinha, Firmino, Gabriel Jesus, Neymar, Richarlison, Vinícius Júnior

Additionally, U-23 coach André Jardine called up the Olympic squad for preparatory friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Egypt ahead of what is now next summer’s tournament. If there’s a U-23 player you felt was missing from the main squad, there’s a good chance he’s in this squad instead. I’m including club names for these players because most of us are probably not familiar with at least some of them.

Goalkeepers: Phelipe (FC Dallas), Gabriel Brazão (Real Oviedo), Daniel Fuzato (Gil Vicente)

Fullbacks: Emerson (Real Betis), Dodô (Shakhtar Donetsk), Caio Henrique (Monaco), Ayrton Lucas (Spartak Moscow)

Center-Backs: Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal), Ibañez (Roma), Luiz Felipe (Lazio), Lyanco (Torino)

Midfielders: Bruno Guimarães (Lyon), Wendel (Zenit), Maycon (Shakhtar Donetsk), Marcos Antônio (Shakthar Donetsk), Lucas Paquetá (Lyon), Reinier (Borussia Dortmund)

Forwards: Antony (Ajax), David Neres (Ajax), Evanilson (Porto), Matheus Cunha (Hertha Berlin), Pedrinho (Benfica), Rodrygo (Real Madrid)

Quick Reactions

Surprises: Not many. This callup comes only a week after the Seleção last played together, so there wasn’t a lot of time for players not in the fold to make a case for themselves. Indeed, the main changes from the October squad come in the form of previously unfit regulars returning. Alisson and Arthur should be ready to go by November, while Gabriel Jesus’ injury status is a bit more uncertain, but there’s little harm in calling him up now and then scratching him if he ends up not recovering in time. (If he does have to be dropped, I’m calling it now that Pedro will be his replacement, though the fact that he’s not in the Olympic squad suggests that maybe Flamengo didn’t want to lose any more players during this international break.)

The biggest surprise is definitely that Gabriel Menino has been called up again at right-back, even though Dani Alves is playing again after recovering from his broken arm and even though the Olympic squad will be playing again. Does this mean Tite is finally moving on from the 37-year-old? He won’t have another chance to play for Brazil until he’s barely a month shy of his 38th birthday. For Menino’s part, I hope he actually gets some playing time; it’s great to see a young Brazilian right-back prospect again, but I still have no idea whether he can deliver on this level.

Disappointments/Concerns: Bruno Guimarães dropping to the Olympic team for Arthur’s return is a bit disappointing, because I think he offers something a little different than our other midfielders. I wish he’d at least gotten some playing time in October.

I like Éder Militão, and I’m glad Tite dropped the older Felipe for him, but he’s been shaky for a while and he had kind of a horror show against Shakhtar in midweek. At what point should Tite look to drop him down to the Olympic team and bring up Gabriel or Luiz Felipe instead?

I’m not surprised that Vinícius Júnior is getting a shot after Rodrygo got one in the last games, but I do worry that this will start to mirror their club situation at Real Madrid, where they’re constantly being rotated in and out of the squad and neither one can achieve much form or consistency as a result.

Fun Facts/Other Things I Like: We have some truly impressive depth at U-23 level right now. At least three members of this Olympic squad have already scored for the senior Brazil side, and several others have been called up. Beyond that, I count seven players of Olympic age in the senior squad. And all this without Pedro or Gabriel Martinelli!

Speaking of, how close are we to fielding an XI of just players named Gabriel? There’s Brazão (and Vasconcelos) in goal, Magalhães and Paulista in central defense, Menino at right-back, Pires in midfield, and a front four of Veron, Jesus, Martinelli, and Gabigol. Maybe we can patch in the gaps with players named Lucas.

With Alisson’s return and Alex Telles’ move to Manchester United, nine members of this senior squad play in England, which has to be a record. That’s got to be close to the record for any non-Brazilian league.