Carlo Ancelotti started his complete overhaul of Brazil's national team on Wednesday by announcing a squad with few of the players he took to the World Cup three months ago and several young talents.
His team will play two friendlies against Australia, on Sept. 25 in Townsville and 29 in Brisbane, and its first ever match against India on Oct. 3 in Kolkata, where it has millions of fans.
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Ancelotti, as he promised in an interview with The Associated Press in July after the round of 16 World Cup elimination against Norway, called up several players who will be also eligible for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, hoping he can use them as the spine of his squad in the 2030 World Cup.
"The World Cup was a disappointment for us and for me personally," Ancelotti said after naming his latest squad. "We weren't able to play the way we expected. Being eliminated by Norway was a huge letdown because the team had actually played well up until the 60th minute of that match. We struggled in the first half, but the team improved after that. The defeat to Norway came as a surprise in that sense, because no one expected it to happen.
"At a club, you have the chance to process things and move on relatively quickly because there's another competition coming up; with the national team, it's more complicated. The pain of the defeat lingers much longer. Now, however, we are motivated by the fact that we have time to prepare for a new cycle and get ready for the upcoming competitions."
Ancelotti has fully overhauled his goalkeepers, with three new faces in the latest squad and Liverpool's Alisson Becker not included.
"That doesn't mean the others are excluded," Ancelotti said. "We know Alisson very well, and when the competitions -- like the Copa América -- come, if he remains being the best goalkeeper in Brazil, Alisson will play. Right now, however, we have to prioritize the younger ones."
Also absent from those who went to the World Cup are veteran midfielders Casemiro, who recently joined Inter Miami, and Fabinho. All-time national team top scorer Neymar is not included after announcing the end of his international career following the World Cup.
Among the new faces are Athletico Paranaense defender Arthur Dias and PSV Eindhoven fullback Mauro Júnior.
Some experienced names remain, including Real Madrid forward VinÃcius Júnior, Barcelona's in-form Raphinha, new Arsenal signing Bruno Guimarães and Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos.
"I chose these players -- Marquinhos, Gabriel [Magalhães], Bruno [Guimarães], Raphinha, and Vini Jr. -- to help with this change in direction. They are crucial for the future," Ancelotti added.
"We are confident in their commitment to quality, seriousness and professionalism, and they will help the younger players improve. That doesn't mean other players won't be involved. We prioritized younger players for these friendlies to gather more precise information on everyone. It is possible that, by the time we reach the competitions, players not on this list today could be on the final squad."
Ancelotti was questioned about Thiago Silva's comments criticizing his overhaul plan for the national team. The former Brazil captain said that players shouldn't be discarded purely because of their age if they can still contribute.
"One thing is certain: a player who is 34 or 35 years old isn't the future; they are the present. If a player of that age is ready to play in a major tournament, they will be in the national squad, but right now the main
Chelsea forward João Pedro is also included after his surprise exclusion from the World Cup roster.
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Brazil squad:
Goalkeepers: Hugo Souza (Corinthians), Pedro Morisco (Coritiba), Otávio (Cruzeiro).
Defenders: Arthur Dias (Athletico Paranaense), Wesley (Roma), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal), Douglas Santos (Zenit St. Petersburg), Jair (Nottingham Forest), Matheuzinho (Corinthians), Maurio Júnior (PSV Eindhoven), Vitor Reis (Manchester City).
Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes (Arsenal), Andrey Santos (Manchester United), Danilo Santos (Botafogo), Douglas Luiz (Juventus), Breno Bidon (Corinthians), Gabriel Bontempo (Santos).
Forwards: Endrick, Vinicius Júnior (Real Madrid), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rayan (Bournemouth), João Pedro, Estevao (Chelsea), Samuel Lino and Pedro (Flamengo).
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
