Who was Vasco’s last player at a World Cup? | OneFootball

Coach Carlo Ancelotti is calling up the players who will make up the Brazil National Team for the 2026 World Cup. And Vasco faces the challenge of ending a historic drought that has lasted nearly three decades. The last time a player from the club’s squad was part of Brazil’s final group for a World Cup was in 1998, in France, with goalkeeper Carlos Germano. Before him, in the title-winning campaign of 1994, center-back Ricardo Rocha was the club’s representative in the victorious run in the United States.

Since the participation of the legendary wall and Libertadores champion from that same year, the Gigante da Colina has not had any other players called up while playing at São Januário, a drought that bothers a club tradition of serving as a foundation for the national team.

For this year’s World Cup, the hope of breaking that streak rests on one name who has been going through an inconsistent spell in Renato Gaúcho’s squad: full-back Paulo Henrique. He is the closest name, appearing on the official pre-list from the CBF, even while facing the challenge of a recent right ankle sprain.

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Paulo Henrique is hoping to go to the World Cup – Photo: Fábio Pinto

Rayan and Andrey Santos are Vasco academy’s bets

In addition to the full-back, academy products Andrey Santos and Rayan, who play for Chelsea and Bournemouth, respectively, appear as real options for Carlo Ancelotti’s final list.

Andrey Santos, established at the London club since 2023, maintains the technical consistency and physical strength needed to play in international midfield.

Meanwhile, forward Rayan, sold by Vasco to the Premier League this season, where he has been earning praise, embodies the attacking renewal sought by the national team’s coaching staff, and is the biggest sale in the history of São Januário.

Andrey Santos and Rayan, academy products from the Hill – Photo: Instagram/Reproduction

The weight of Ricardo Rocha and Carlos Germano’s history

The path of idols such as Ricardo Rocha and Carlos Germano serves as inspiration for the current group, which is trying to restore prominence to Gigante da Colina. In 1994, the center-back was an experienced piece in Parreira’s squad, while in 1998 the goalkeeper brought the reliability of his performances for Vasco to Zagallo’s bench. These historical records show the strength the club has always had in building winning squads and the importance of reconnecting the Maltese cross with the yellow jersey.

Ricardo Rocha was Vasco’s center-back and captain when he became world champion in 94 – Photo: Reprodução

Carlo Ancelotti’s final decision will define the technical future of names like Andrey Santos and young Rayan for the coming years. Vasco awaits the official release of the list with the expectation that its technical restructuring work will be crowned with at least one spot at the World Cup. The end of the 28-year drought is internally treated as a necessary milestone for the club to regain its elite status and attract new strategic investments for the remainder of the 2026 sporting calendar.

Carlos Germano at the 98 World Cup – Photo: Reprodução

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