Corinthians have five players called up by the Brazil women's national team

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Central do Timão

·13 November 2025

Corinthians have five players called up by the Brazil women's national team

By Fabio Luigi / Central do Timão Editorial Team

On the afternoon of this Thursday (13th), coach Arthur Elias announced the list of athletes called up for the last two friendlies of the Brazilian Women's National Team in 2025, aiming at preparation for the Women's World Cup, which will take place in Brazil in 2027 and will have the Neo Química Arena as one of the venues.

In the Canarinho list, there were athletes from Corinthians: goalkeeper Lelê, defenders Mariza and Thais Ferreira, midfielder Duda Sampaio, and midfielder Gabi Zanotti. The quintet will be present in the friendlies against Norway, on the next 28th (Friday), at 3 pm (Brasília time), at the Municipal Stadium of Línea, in Marbella, Spain.

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Photo: Rodrigo Gazzanel/Agência Corinthians

Subsequently, on December 2nd (Tuesday), at 4:45 pm, Brazil returns to the field to face Portugal, at the Municipal Stadium of Aveiro, in the city of Aveira, in Portuguese territory. The mentioned athletes may be absent in the semifinals of the Women's Paulista Championship, which is scheduled for November 23rd and December 3rd.

During a press conference at the CBF headquarters, coach Arthur Elias was questioned about the call-up of goalkeeper Lelê, who had not been called since December 2023. The goalkeeper missed a large part of the 2024 season due to treatment for a severe anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and part of 2025 doing muscle strengthening work.

"Well, Lelê's return has been awaited for a long time. She had a long recovery period. She played a great game, the last game we watched, Edson, our goalkeeper coach, was at Corinthians, watched the training. We followed closely. She is an athlete that, yes, I worked with for many years, very successful at Corinthians, she was the goalkeeper and had a great World Cup in 2023. But, obviously, she will find a very different National Team, a different work, and the opportunity will be given, just as we have done with many athletes, there were 47."

"There are two more, Lelê, Zanotti, Brena, which I don't remember. Anyway, there are many players we have given this opportunity to, because we don't know exactly what will happen in 2027, who will be better, what the moment will be, and it's important for them to experience it. And, on merit, Lelê is a great goalkeeper, she is in a great moment, she is in a very good moment. This comeback, and I think she will be able to make a great call-up," he began.

Finally, he added, talking about the return of Gabi Zanotti, who had not been called by the Amarelinha since December 2019, when the Women's National Team was still led by coach Pia Sundhage. At 40 years old, the number 10 is the top scorer of Corinthians Women this year with 18 goals and is the most successful player in the club's history with 18 titles won between Brasileirão, Libertadores, Super Cup, Paulista Championship, and Paulista Cup.

"About Zanotti's return. She is a star, everyone knows, everyone who follows football knows Zanotti's quality. As I said here, 2027 is not far away, but football is very fast, so we don't have a crystal ball, I've always said that to know who will be there. I don't even know if I will be there. We don't know anything. What we know is the moment and what we have to do, which is to give opportunity. She is a player, obviously, who has a lot of experience, is older than those I have been calling up, but who comes, every year, every moment, overcoming. I worked with two players at Corinthians, who have an impressive capacity for competitiveness, longevity, care, how much they dedicate themselves, the quality they have and leadership, like Tamires and Zanotti."

"So, the return at the moment was Zanotti's, precisely because of her ability. If the World Cup were today, a star, a player we need to give an opportunity to. There will be some difficulty at times in relation to how we have worked in the National Team, in the game model, in the characteristic mainly without the ball, but she was called up as a forward, not as a midfielder. She will play as a forward. And she has a great decision-making power, just like Bia Zaneratto's recent return. It is also a process with her and with all these. And when we can give an opportunity, it will be done. I'm sure that, because of her quality, I hope she comes very motivated and can make, at least in this FIFA Date, a return with justice for everything she has already done for and how much she could have helped the national team here for many, many years," he concluded.

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