"This is when the real Ancelotti cycle truly begins." That was the line doing the rounds all summer — and now the Italian has backed it with names. Twenty-six of them, with 16 changes from the squad that crashed out of the last World Cup and eight players earning their first senior call-ups.
Pedro Morisco, Otávio, Arthur Dias, Jair Cunha, Matheuzinho, Mauro Júnior, Breno Bidon and Gabriel Bontempo are all in for the first time. Estêvão, Andrey Santos and João Pedro return after missing the tournament in North America. The generation that came before — Danilo, Casemiro, Fabinho, Alex Sandro, Alisson, Ederson — is gone. Neymar is gone. The CBF wiped the slate.
Vinicius, Raphinha, and Endrick carry the weight
What's left is a squad built around two undeniable truths. Vinicius Junior and Raphinha are Brazil's standard-bearers now. Neymar said as much at the World Cup, and Ancelotti isn't arguing. The Real Madrid and Barcelona forwards step into lineage that includes Pelé, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho — no small thing, even if that pressure has chewed up plenty of heirs before them.
The captaincy question is also moving. Marquinhos is nearing the end of his international run, and Bruno Guimarães — now at Arsenal — is the expected successor. A midfield leader taking the armband fits Ancelotti's fingerprints.
Then there's Endrick. Ancelotti was unusually direct about what he wants from his Real Madrid striker: "Endrick will be an important player for Brazil in the future." With no established center forward in this group, the 18-year-old carries a responsibility well beyond his caps. Anyone pricing Brazil's 2030 World Cup outright should factor in just how much this squad's ceiling depends on his development over the next four years.
The full squad
Brazil face Australia twice and India once in this opening window. A light schedule, but the right moment to start sorting who fits the system — and who doesn't survive the transition.
Goalkeepers:
- Hugo Souza (Corinthians)
- Pedro Morisco (Coritiba)
- Otávio (Cruzeiro)
Defenders:
- Arthur Dias (Athletico-PR)
- Douglas Santos (Zenit)
- Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal)
- Jair Cunha (Nottingham Forest)
- Marquinhos (PSG)
- Matheuzinho (Corinthians)
- Mauro Júnior (PSV)
- Vitor Reis (Manchester City)
- Wesley (Roma)
Midfielders:
- Andrey Santos (Manchester United)
- Breno Bidon (Corinthians)
- Bruno Guimarães (Arsenal)
- Danilo Santos (Botafogo)
- Douglas Luiz (Juventus)
- Gabriel Bontempo (Santos)
Forwards:
- Endrick (Real Madrid)
- Estêvão (Chelsea)
- João Pedro (Chelsea)
- Pedro (Flamengo)
- Raphinha (Barcelona)
- Rayan (Bournemouth)
- Samuel Lino (Flamengo)
- Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
Notable absences — Kauã Elias, André, Souza, Kevin, Kaiki — aren't necessarily permanent, with the CBF still monitoring their progress. But right now, the door belongs to whoever earns it under Ancelotti.
