Martinelli gets Ancelotti call-up: stats behind Fluminense midfielder | OneFootball

At 24, Martinelli is set to make his Brazil debut after a solid season with Fluminense. The numbers point to a midfielder who can offer control, passing quality, and versatility to Carlo Ancelotti.

Matheus Martinelli’s call-up to the Brazil national team was not part of the original plan. The Fluminense defensive midfielder was called up by Carlo Ancelotti to replace Chelsea’s João Pedro, who was ruled out through injury. Even so, the opportunity comes at a time when the player had been putting up consistent numbers and, above all, showing traits that could be useful to the Italian coach.

Martinelli will make his senior national team debut in friendlies against Australia and India, during a FIFA international window that Ancelotti also intends to use to assess new names with the next cycle in mind.

A defensive midfielder who plays and makes others play

The first statistic that stands out is his passing.

According to FotMob, Martinelli has a 91.7% pass completion rate in the 2026 Brasileirão, with 1,105 completed passes in 1,550 minutes. The platform also records 64.2 accurate passes per 90 minutes, two assists, and 17 chances created.

He is not just a player who receives the ball and keeps the move going. Martinelli often drops close to the center-backs, offers a passing lane, and helps the team beat the first line of pressure. At Fluminense, he has also played a few meters further forward, which explains his ability to operate as either a holding or box-to-box midfielder. That versatility is one of the traits that put him on the Brazilian coaching staff’s radar.

The defensive numbers also explain the choice

The midfielder is not only effective with the ball at his feet.

Also according to FotMob, Martinelli has totaled 24 tackles, 20 interceptions, and 81 possession recoveries in the Brasileirão. He has also won 60 of the 118 duels he has contested, in addition to committing 27 fouls.

Sporting Life, meanwhile, lists 6.85 duels contested per 90 minutes, 4.7 recoveries, and 1.16 interceptions per match this season—numbers that help paint the picture of a player who is also active without the ball.

It is precisely this combination that could interest Ancelotti: a defensive midfielder capable of contributing to build-up play without neglecting his defensive duties.

A season of consistency

The overall numbers also show how important Martinelli is to Fluminense.

Martinelli has made 37 appearances in 2026 across the Campeonato Carioca, Brasileirão, Copa do Brasil, and Libertadores, totaling 2,919 minutes, one goal, and four assists. In Brasileirão and Libertadores play, the midfielder has 25 appearances, 2,085 minutes, and three assists.

Sofascore itself gives Martinelli a 6.9 rating over the last 12 months, while also highlighting his regular presence in the Fluminense side.

These are not the numbers of a midfielder who relies on popping up in the box. They are the numbers of someone who influences the game in a different way.

What can he add to Brazil?

Perhaps that is the most interesting part.

Martinelli joins a national team squad that includes Bruno Guimarães, Douglas Luiz, Andrey Santos, Breno Bidon, and Danilo Santos among the called-up midfielders. In other words, he is not arriving to automatically take a spot. He is arriving to offer an alternative.

His ability to play as either a holding or second defensive midfielder, his security in possession, and the experience he has built up at Fluminense could give Ancelotti a different option to control the tempo of matches.

And there is another detail: Martinelli has already made more than 300 appearances for Fluminense. This is not a gamble based solely on potential. He is a player developed at the club, established in Brazilian football, and now facing the biggest challenge of his career.

The call-up came because of an unexpected circumstance. The opportunity, however, finds a Martinelli prepared by both his numbers and his experience to show that he can be more than just a stand-in replacement.

*André Freixo, special correspondent for Agência RTI Esporte, reporting directly from Portugal

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