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 September 25 in Townsville and September 29 in Brisbane, and its first ever match against India on October 3 in Kolkata, where it has millions of fans.
The squad includes several young talents, such as Athletico Paranaense defender Arthur Dias and PSV Eindhoven fullback Mauro Júnior. Experienced players like Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior, Barcelona's Raphinha, and Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos have also been included.
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. 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.