🇧🇷 100 days to Copa, Brazil still seeking best XI, latest update

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·3 March 2026

🇧🇷 100 days to Copa, Brazil still seeking best XI, latest update

With just 100 days left until the 2026 World Cup, coach Carlo Ancelotti still hasn't settled on his starting 11, with the national team still having open spots in all areas of the field.

The final list for the World Cup will be revealed on May 19, but before that, on the upcoming 16th, the coach will call up 26 players for the final tests, the friendlies against France and Croatia (on the 26th and 31st), in the United States.

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Despite the uncertainties, some names are almost guaranteed a spot, barring any medical issues: Alisson, Marquinhos, Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães, Raphinha, Vinícius Júnior, and Estêvão.

Check out the current outlook for each position:

Goalkeepers 🧤

Undisputed starter: Alisson is on track for his third consecutive World Cup as the main goalkeeper.
The competition for backups: Bento (in great form at Al-Nassr), Ederson (starter at Fenerbahçe but has struggled with recent cuts), Hugo Souza (doing well at Corinthians), and John (an outsider at Nottingham Forest) are among the top contenders for the other two spots.

Defenders 🧱

The main defenders: Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhães are "guaranteed" for the World Cup.
In the running: Éder Militão is highly regarded by Carlo Ancelotti from their Real Madrid days. Names like Alex Ribeiro (Lille), Fabrício Bruno (Cruzeiro), Danilo, Léo Pereira, and Léo Ortiz (Flamengo), as well as Beraldo (PSG), also have chances.

Full-backs 💪

This could be considered the most undefined sector of the World Cup cycle, with many players tested by Ancelotti so far.

Left: Alex Sandro (Flamengo), Caio Henrique (Monaco), and Douglas Santos (Zenit) were the most used, with Carlos Augusto (Inter Milan) also in the mix.
Right: Vanderson (Monaco) is leading, but Wesley (Roma), Vitinho (Botafogo), and Paulo Henrique (struggling at Vasco) have also been observed.

Midfielders 💭

The pillars: Casemiro (Manchester United) and Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle) form the base of the sector – the latter is injured and will not be in the next call-up, allowing for more observations.
Andrey Santos (Chelsea) and Lucas Paquetá (Flamengo) have been tested many times and have a good chance of making the final list.
Fabinho (Al-Ittihad) is back on the radar and is an outsider, as are João Gomes (Wolverhampton) and Joelinton (Newcastle), along with Brazilian players like Marcos Antônio (São Paulo), Matheus Pereira (Cruzeiro), Breno Bidon (Corinthians), and Matheus Martinelli (Fluminense).

Forwards 🔥

The big question: Neymar, who hasn't played since October 2023, will have his physical condition at Santos monitored until the last minute; with a severe knee injury, Rodrygo (Real Madrid) will not recover in time.
Guaranteed: Estêvão (Chelsea), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Raphinha (Barcelona), and Vini Jr (Real Madrid) are expected to be on the final list, with João Pedro (Chelsea) and Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) also well-positioned.
Wingers: Luiz Henrique (Zenit) is competing with Antony (Betis) and Savinho (Manchester City) for a spot on the wings, which now has another contender: Rayan, excelling at Bournemouth.
The number 9 spot remains open! Richarlison is Carlo's trusted man but is in poor form along with the entire Tottenham team. Endrick started strong at Lyon but has dipped in performance. Igor Jesus from Nottingham Forest is also on the radar, along with Kaio Jorge (Cruzeiro) and Vitor Roque (Palmeiras).