Ancelotti confirms Corinthians duo in Brazil XI for friendly | OneFootball

Corinthians will have two representatives among the starters for the Brazilian National Team in its first match after the 2026 World Cup. Hugo Souza and Matheuzinho were confirmed by head coach Carlo Ancelotti to start the friendly against Australia this Friday (25) at 7 a.m. (Brasília time) at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.

The decision came after Brazil’s final training session before the match. This Thursday (24), Ancelotti set up the lineup he intends to use against the Australians and confirmed the 11 selected during a press conference.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca / Agência Corinthians

“Tomorrow (Friday) will play Hugo Souza; Matheuzinho, Marquinhos, Vitor Reis and Douglas Santos; Danilo and Bruno (Guimarães); Estevão, Raphinha, Endrick and Vinicius Júnior.”

With that, Corinthians will be represented both in goal and at right-back. The third Alvinegro player called up, Breno Bidon, is not in the starting lineup and will be an option for Ancelotti during the match.

Matheuzinho will get his first opportunity with the senior national team

The match will have special meaning for Matheuzinho. Called up for the first time to Brazil’s senior national team, the right-back will also make his debut already among the starters.

The player has previous experience wearing the Seleção shirt at youth level. In 2018, when he was still playing for Londrina, Matheuzinho was called up for Brazil Under-20 friendlies. Now, he will get his first opportunity with the senior team.

Matheuzinho and Breno Bidon are the two debutants among Corinthians’ three representatives in this squad. The duo received their first opportunity with Brazil’s senior group for this run of FIFA international window friendlies.

Hugo Souza gets a second chance as a starter

For Hugo Souza, the match will represent a new opportunity to defend Brazil’s goal. Corinthians’ No. 1 will start for the senior national team for the second time in his career.

His debut came on October 14, 2025, in a friendly against Japan at the National Stadium in Tokyo. Brazil ended up losing 3-2 on that occasion.

Since Carlo Ancelotti took charge of the national team, Hugo has frequently appeared in the call-ups. The goalkeeper was included in six of the seven squads named by the Italian coach, missing out only on the list for the 2026 World Cup.

This new opportunity, therefore, puts the Corinthians goalkeeper back among the options used by Ancelotti at the start of this post-World Cup cycle.

Corinthians has three call-ups again after more than a decade

The presence of Hugo Souza, Matheuzinho and Breno Bidon in the same squad also ends a long gap for Corinthians. Since 2015, the club had not had at least three players simultaneously in a senior Brazil national team squad.

On that occasion, during the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup, then-head coach Dunga called up Cássio, Gil, Elias and Renato Augusto, four players who represented Timão.

Eleven years later, the club reaches that mark again, now with two of its representatives immediately earning places in the starting lineup.

The trio’s participation during the international window may also generate financial returns for Corinthians. Through FIFA’s Club Benefits Programme, clubs receive compensation for releasing players to national teams. Considering the estimate of approximately R$12,000 per player for each match and Brazil’s three scheduled friendlies, Timão could receive up to around R$108,000.

Brazil begins its run of friendlies

The first match will be against Australia this Friday at 7 a.m. (Brasília time) in Townsville. After the match, the Brazilian delegation will return to Brisbane, where it will continue preparations for the second meeting with the Australians.

The teams will face each other again on Tuesday (29), also at 7 a.m., this time at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Next, the delegation will make its first trip to India. Brazil will face the Indian national team on October 3 at 11 a.m. (Brasília time) at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, concluding the run of three friendlies.

Hugo Souza, Matheuzinho and Breno Bidon will return to Corinthians after the international fixtures. Timão’s next match is scheduled for October 7 against Internacional at Beira-Rio in the 29th round of the Brazilian Championship.

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