Ancelotti’s headache grows over Brazil’s number 9 selection | OneFootball

With less than six months to go before the start of the World Cup, coach Carlo Ancelotti may have a “good headache” when it comes to choosing the “number 9s” for Brazil for the tournament. Recently, some of the national team’s strikers have taken off and started to enjoy a good spell in football.

With this in mind, Gazeta Esportiva has selected some of the main names for Brazil’s attack who could be present at the world’s biggest national team tournament.

What are the options for the national team’s attack?

Endrick

With few opportunities at Real Madrid, Endrick was loaned to Lyon, where he made an immediate impact. The number 9 scored four goals and provided one assist in just three games. The striker has already worked with Carlo Ancelotti and could get a chance in Brazil’s upcoming friendlies.

Igor Thiago

Former Cruzeiro player, Igor Thiago took off in his first full season with Brentford, England. The striker, who has a strong presence in the box, is the league’s second top scorer with 16 goals in 24 matches, behind only Haaland. Igor, who has yet to get a chance with the Brazilian National Team, broke the record for most goals by a Brazilian player in a single Premier League season with 14 games still to play.

João Pedro

A regular presence in recent call-ups, João Pedro stood out after his performances at the Club World Cup for Chelsea. In 33 games in his debut season for the English club, he scored 12 goals and provided four assists.

Kaio Jorge

Top scorer of the Brasileirão in 2025 with 21 goals, Kaio Jorge had the best season of his career with Cruzeiro in 2025. Under the command of Leonardo Jardim, the number 9 stood out for his mobility and goal-scoring instinct. In September, he was called up by Ancelotti for the World Cup Qualifiers.

Matheus Cunha

Recently arrived at Manchester United, Cunha plays in a more mobile way, able to act as a false nine or a number 10. In 22 games this season, he has scored five goals and provided two assists. The striker is a regular in Ancelotti’s call-ups.

Vitor Roque

After a difficult start at Palmeiras, Vitor Roque took off after the Club World Cup. Forming a strike partnership with Flaco López, the “Tigrinho” scored 20 goals and provided five assists in 2025, numbers that earned him a call-up from Ancelotti for the friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia in November.

Gabriel Jesus

After missing more than 45 games for Arsenal due to a knee ligament injury, Gabriel Jesus returned in full force to the London team. Since his comeback, the striker has scored three goals and provided one assist in 13 games, in which he had limited minutes. If called up, Jesus will be heading to his third World Cup.

Pedro

Pedro experienced a season of ups and downs with Flamengo in 2025. Individually, he had a clash with Filipe Luís at the start of the season and struggled with injuries. Despite this, he played 39 matches, scored 15 goals, and provided seven assists. The player has not yet been called up by Ancelotti.

Richarlison

Ancelotti’s trusted man since their time at Everton, Richarlison has been called up by the Italian coach in recent opportunities. The “pigeon” played 31 games this season, scored eight goals, and provided three assists. It remains to be seen if he will be fit to compete in the tournament, as he is currently recovering from a thigh injury.

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