With Paquetá and no Neymar: 2026 album ‘reveals’ Brazil squad | OneFootball

Responsible for the World Cup album, Panini revealed what this year’s edition will look like

The official release of the 2026 World Cup album brought interesting signs about who could make the Brazil National Team squad. Among the 18 players who secured a sticker on Brazil’s pages, the presence of Lucas Paquetá drew attention.

In this context, Panini’s decision to include the Flamengo midfielder serves as a sign that he is in the plans for the World Cup. On the other hand, the big surprise was Neymar’s absence, as he was left out of the stickers for the first time in four consecutive editions of the tournament. In this way, the Italian publisher’s collection acts as a “gauge” for coach Carlo Ancelotti’s final squad list.

WHO ELSE IS IN THE WORLD CUP ALBUM?

The pages dedicated to Brazil feature a core of experienced names such as Alisson, Marquinhos, Casemiro, and Danilo, in addition to forward Vini Jr and full-back Wesley. Also featured in the collection are players such as Éder Militão, Gabriel Magalhães, Bruno Guimarães, Luiz Henrique, João Pedro, Matheus Cunha, Martinelli, Raphinha, and Estêvão, who make up the group of 18 selected.

It is also worth highlighting the inclusion of forward Rodrygo, who, despite being injured and out of the World Cup, still secured a place in the album. In this context, Panini’s choice makes it clear that the collection is produced in advance and does not necessarily reflect the players’ physical or technical condition at the time of the official squad announcement.

Flamengo defenders Alex Sandro and Léo Pereira were left out of this initial list from the publisher. In that sense, the Flamengo players can only wait for Carlo Ancelotti’s final announcement, since Panini’s list serves only as an indication and does not guarantee a player’s inclusion in or exclusion from the World Cup.

WHEN IS THE NATIONAL TEAM’S OFFICIAL SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT?

The official Brazil National Team squad announcement for the World Cup is scheduled for May 18. On that date, coach Carlo Ancelotti will reveal the final list of 26 selected players. Preparation is therefore fully focused on the 2026 World Cup.

The tournament is set to begin on June 11, with matches hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. As a result, the squad announcement will take place just under a month before the competition kicks off. In addition, the event marks a historic moment, as it will feature 48 participating national teams for the first time.

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