Ancelotti: Brazil squad for Copa nearly decided | OneFootball

Coach Carlo Ancelotti stated this Friday, in a press conference on the eve of the friendly against Senegal, that he still has doubts about the final list of the Brazilian National Team for the World Cup, highlighting that the competition for spots remains open and can be influenced by factors such as injuries and a drop in performance in the coming months.

“There are six months left until the World Cup, so a lot of things can happen, like injuries, a drop in players’ physical condition. So, my idea of the final squad is quite clear, but there are still a few positions left. Obviously, there is competition among the players,” said Ancelotti.

“Until the last day, I have doubts, because the quality of all these players is very high. Choosing the 27 athletes who will play in the World Cup will be very difficult,” he added.

  See this photo on Instagram   A post shared by CBF • Brazilian Football National Team (@brasil)

Among the players who remain on the National Team’s radar and have not yet been called up by Ancelotti, the name that naturally stands out is Neymar. The attacking midfielder from Santos recently returned from a muscle injury in his right thigh, his third since returning to Peixe, and is still awaiting the opportunity for a call-up.

Time, however, is not on his side: after this FIFA date, there will be only one more before the World Cup, scheduled for March next year, when Brazil will face two European teams, with France, Norway, and Croatia among the favorites.

Ancelotti praises Fabinho

Among the names called up for the first time by Ancelotti in this squad, Fabinho stands out, returning to the National Team after three years. The coach emphasized the importance of having players with the profile he offers.

“He has good quality and performed well in recent games. I trust him a lot. It’s true that we need to find players who can play in this position. That’s why Fabinho is here, he’s training well. We’ll see if he gets minutes in tomorrow’s game or in the match next Tuesday,” he pointed out.

The National Team’s upcoming matches

Brazil vs Senegal Date and time: November 15, 2025 (Saturday), at 1:00 PM (Brasília time) Venue: Emirates Stadium, London (ENG)

Brazil vs Tunisia Date and time: November 18 (Tuesday), at 4:30 PM (Brasília time) Venue: Decathlon Stadium, Lille (FRA)

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.