Thiago & Rayan Earn First Brazil Call-Ups

Premier League stars Igor Thiago and Rayan receive senior national team nods ahead of 2026 World Cup

Mar. 17, 2026 at 3:19am

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Brentford's Igor Thiago and Bournemouth's Rayan have both received their first senior call-ups to the Brazilian national team for upcoming friendlies against France and Croatia. The move signals a shift towards integrating emerging talent as veteran forward Neymar is left out due to a lack of full fitness.

Why it matters

The call-ups for Thiago and Rayan represent a changing of the guard for the Brazilian national team as they look to build a squad less reliant on individual brilliance and more focused on collective strength ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Neymar's omission is a significant development that underscores this potential shift in focus.

The details

Igor Thiago's journey to the Brazil squad is a testament to perseverance, as the 24-year-old overcame injury struggles in his first season at Brentford to become the second-highest scorer in the Premier League this campaign with 19 goals. Nineteen-year-old Rayan, who joined Bournemouth in January, has also earned his first international nod, demonstrating coach Carlo Ancelotti's willingness to experiment with youth.

  • Brazil will play France in Boston on March 26th.
  • Brazil will play Croatia in Orlando on March 31st.

The players

Igor Thiago

A 24-year-old midfielder for Brentford who has become the second-highest scorer in the Premier League this season with 19 goals.

Rayan

A 19-year-old forward for Bournemouth who has earned his first senior call-up to the Brazilian national team.

Neymar

Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 79 goals, who has been left out of the squad due to a lack of full fitness.

Carlo Ancelotti

The head coach of the Brazilian national team who is overseeing the shift towards integrating emerging talent.

Keith Andrews

The head coach of Brentford who praised Thiago's dedication in overcoming injury struggles.

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What they’re saying

“Really proud of what he's done to get to this point.”

— Keith Andrews, Brentford head coach (newsy-today.com)

“I haven't called him up because he's not 100 per cent.”

— Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil national team coach (newsy-today.com)

What’s next

These matches will provide Ancelotti with a valuable opportunity to evaluate his options and refine his strategy as he prepares to lead Brazil in their pursuit of a sixth World Cup title.

The takeaway

The call-ups of Thiago and Rayan, along with Neymar's omission, signal a potential shift in the Brazilian national team's focus towards building a more well-rounded squad capable of collective success at the 2026 World Cup.