Corinthians duo earn their place under Ancelotti in Brazil draw | OneFootball

Corinthians had two representatives among the starters for the Brazilian National Team in a 1-1 draw with Australia on Friday morning (25), in the first friendly of the FIFA international window. Hugo Souza and Matheuzinho started the match at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville, while Breno Bidon, the third Corinthians player called up by Carlo Ancelotti, remained on the bench.

In addition to having two Corinthians players in the starting lineup, the match had special meaning for Matheuzinho. The right-back made his senior national team debut after previously being called up to the Under-20 squad in 2018, when he was still playing for Londrina.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca / Corinthians Agency

Ancelotti started the friendly with Hugo Souza; Matheuzinho, Marquinhos, Vitor Reis and Douglas Santos; Bruno Guimarães and Danilo Santos; Estêvão, Raphinha, Endrick and Vini Júnior.

Brazil struggles against Australia

Australia managed to occupy the attacking half and enjoy more possession in the opening 20 minutes. Facing difficulties in building plays, Brazil mainly tried to move forward through long balls and direct play.

Brazil even found the net in the first half. Estêvão scored in the final minutes before halftime, but the goal was ruled out after the referee spotted a foul by Bruno Guimarães at the start of the move. As a result, the teams went into the break with the score still 0-0.

The match remained evenly balanced in the second half, and Carlo Ancelotti’s team continued to struggle to create chances in attack. In the 22nd minute, Irankunda curled a free kick into Hugo Souza’s right corner to put the Australians ahead.

Brazil avoided defeat with the last play of the match. Raphinha crossed into the box, and Rayan finished the move to beat goalkeeper Beach and seal a 1-1 draw in Townsville.

Matheuzinho makes senior Brazil debut

Starting and playing the full 90 minutes, Matheuzinho ended his first match for Brazil’s senior team with a significant contribution in defense. According to Sofascore data, the full-back recorded 12 defensive actions: four interceptions, four ball recoveries and four tackles.

The Corinthians player also won five of the seven ground duels he contested. On the ball, he completed 53 of his 62 attempted passes, reaching an 85% success rate.

The debut adds to Matheuzinho’s journey in Brazil’s colors. Before the opportunity given by Ancelotti, the full-back had already been called up to Brazil’s Under-20 squad in 2018, when he was playing for Londrina.

Hugo Souza plays his second match for Brazil

For Hugo Souza, the match marked his second opportunity as a starter for the Brazilian National Team. The goalkeeper had made his debut on October 14, 2025, when Brazil lost 3-2 to Japan in a friendly at Tokyo National Stadium.

Against Australia, Corinthians’ No. 1 made one save and had 33 touches on the ball. In passing, he completed 15 of 22 attempts and finished the match with 68% accuracy, also according to Sofascore numbers.

The presence of Hugo Souza, Matheuzinho and Breno Bidon in this FIFA international window also marks something Corinthians had not achieved in more than a decade. Since 2015, the club had not had at least three players called up simultaneously to Brazil’s senior national team. That year, during the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup, Dunga called up Cássio, Gil, Elias and Renato Augusto.

Call-ups can also generate revenue for Corinthians

In addition to the sporting representation, the trio’s presence with the national team could provide financial compensation to Corinthians. Through FIFA’s Club Benefits Programme, clubs receive approximately R$12,000 per player per match during international windows.

With Hugo Souza, Matheuzinho and Breno Bidon called up and three friendlies scheduled during the period, Timão could receive up to R$108,000. The final amount will depend on the players remaining with the national team throughout the fixtures.

Brazil will face Australia again next Tuesday (29) at 7 a.m. Brasília time, once again at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville. The Corinthians trio will remain available to Carlo Ancelotti for the second match of this FIFA international window.

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