Brazil enters its second international break under Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti with a World Cup ticket already secured. But ahead of the qualifier against Chile, fans were left wondering why star forward Vinicius Junior was absent from the squad list.
Currently sitting third in the CONMEBOL standings with 25 points from 16 matches, La Canarinha has already clinched a spot at the 2026 World Cup alongside Argentina and Ecuador. In the final two qualifiers, Brazil hosts Chile on Thursday before traveling to Bolivia on Tuesday, with some notable omissions from the roster.
In his case, Vinicius Junior has been excluded from the squad list by Carlo Ancelotti in order to give rest to the Real Madrid players after the FIFA Club World Cup campaign. This same politic has been applied for the cases of Rodrygo, Eder Militao, and Endrick, who are the other players from Los Blancos that aren’t part of the squad on September.
Despite his absence this month, Vinicius Jr. remains a cornerstone of Ancelotti’s long-term plans for the Seleção, even if he has yet to replicate the world-class form he has shown in recent club seasons. In his place, new names like Chelsea’s Estêvão, Cruzeiro’s Kaio Jorge, and Zenit’s Luiz Henrique will get a chance to impress.
Vinicius Junior of Brazil leaves the pitch during the FIFA World Cup 2026 South American Qualifier between Brazil and Paraguay at Neo Quimica Arena on June 10, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
So far, Vinicius has 41 caps for Brazil, recording seven goals and six assists — modest numbers by his standards. Still without a major trophy with the Seleção, the Real Madrid star will be eager to change that narrative when the 2026 World Cup kicks off in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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Ancelotti puts his trust in Kaio Jorge
While Barcelona’s Raphinha is the most established name on Brazil’s September roster for the CONMEBOL WC Qualifiers, one of the biggest surprises was the call-up of Cruzeiro striker Kaio Jorge. The 23-year-old is enjoying a breakout 2025 campaign in the Brasileirão, leading the league with 15 goals and five assists in 21 matches.
Asked about Jorge’s inclusion in his press conference, Ancelotti was clear in his reasoning. “He’s scoring a lot of goals, he’s very young but already has experience. For what he’s doing right now, he deserves to be here,” he said about the Cruzeiro striker.
