Ancelotti Calls Up 8 New Players for Brazil Friendlies

Brazil's national team coach says the new call-ups are a chance to assess and finalize the squad ahead of the World Cup.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 8:49pm

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Carlo Ancelotti, the coach of the Brazilian National Team, announced a 26-player roster for upcoming friendlies against France and Croatia. The list includes 8 new players who will be making their debut under Ancelotti's leadership, as the coach looks to evaluate the squad and finalize the team ahead of the World Cup.

Why it matters

With the World Cup on the horizon, Ancelotti is using these friendlies as an opportunity to get a closer look at some new players and determine the final makeup of the Brazil squad. Facing high-level European opponents like France and Croatia will help Ancelotti assess how the team performs against top international competition.

The details

Ancelotti explained that the new call-ups were largely due to injuries to key players like Militão, Bruno Guimarães, and Rodrygo. The 8 debutants include Léo Pereira, Bremer, Ibañez, Danilo, Gabriel Sara, Rayan, Endrick, and Igor Thiago. Ancelotti said the goal is to evaluate the new players' character and how they fit into the team environment, not just their on-field performance.

  • The Brazil squad was announced on March 16, 2026.
  • Brazil will face France on March 26 in Boston.
  • Brazil will then play Croatia on March 31 in Orlando.

The players

Carlo Ancelotti

The head coach of the Brazilian National Team.

Léo Pereira

One of the 8 new players making his debut under Ancelotti.

Bremer

One of the 8 new players making his debut under Ancelotti.

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What they’re saying

“The choices for this list depended a lot on injuries. It's a list created with players who are in good physical condition. We had important injuries, such as Militão, Bruno Guimarães, Estêvão, Rodrygo... And we also considered the call-ups of some players I don't know yet, like Ibañez, Bremer, Rayan, Danilo, and Gabriel Sara. This is our last opportunity to get to know them and make a final list with a clearer idea.”

— Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil National Team Coach

“When we call up new players, it's not because we want to see how they play on the field—we already know that. We want to see how they fit into our environment, their character; for all the new players, that's what we're going to observe. We are evaluating everyone. Also, there are players who deserve to be here because they are performing well in their leagues.”

— Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil National Team Coach

What’s next

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The takeaway

With the World Cup approaching, Brazil's national team coach is using these friendlies as a chance to assess new players and finalize the squad, aiming to field the strongest possible team to compete against top international competition.