Brazil World Cup 2026 team guide

This article is portion of nan Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a practice betwixt immoderate of nan champion media organisations from nan 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is moving previews from 3 countries each time successful nan run-up to nan tourney kicking disconnected connected 11 June.

The plan

Brazil went connected a existent rollercoaster thrust to scope nan 2026 World Cup. There was a governmental situation wrong nan Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) which led to a alteration successful presidency. On nan transportation it was conscionable arsenic bad, if not worse. It was nan country’s worst qualifying run ever pinch defeats successful Argentina, Colombia Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia, arsenic good arsenic a historical location conclusion – a first successful World Cup qualifying – to Lionel Messi and co.

After nan 4-1 reverse successful Buenos Aires successful March 2025, nan caput coach Dorival Jr was sacked and location were moreover fears Brazil would miss retired connected nan tournament. However, nan South American qualifying – pinch six nonstop spots for 10 teams – is highly forgiving and location was renewed hope, not only for qualification but for nan existent tournament, erstwhile Carlo Ancelotti was appointed successful May 2025.

Brazil spell into nan World Cup pinch nan volition of playing a 4-2-4 formation, which has been Ancelotti’s preferred tactical setup since his arrival. However, nan Italian has mislaid respective important players to injury, specified arsenic Eder Militão, Rodrygo and Estêvão. “Considering nan players we person astatine our disposal we judge nan champion exemplary of play for america is to spell pinch 4 up front,” Ancelotti said successful March.

In this strategy nan protect midfielders person to support nan defensive. The deficiency of high-level full-backs is simply a concern, particularly for a state agelong accustomed to players specified arsenic Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Marcelo and Dani Alves among others.

The mobility of whether Neymar would make nan World Cup dominated nan buildup to nan squad announcement and successful nan extremity nan 34-year-old Santos guardant had done conscionable capable to get a spot successful Ancelotti’s 26-man squad. “We realised that successful this past play he had continuity and was successful bully beingness condition,” nan coach said.

However, he has now suffered a caller calf wounded is improbable to start. He could moreover miss retired connected nan full tournament. Without a existent No 9, Ancelotti’s Brazil showed successful nan friendlies against France and Croatia successful March that they will trust connected counterattacks and pace, exploiting nan imaginable of Vinícius Júnior, overmuch for illustration Ancelotti did truthful successfully during his 2nd spell astatine Real Madrid.

The coach

Carlo Ancelotti has won everything – and successful each imaginable measurement – passim his profession arsenic a nine manager. He is 1 of nan astir successful managers ever and has won a grounds 5 Champions League titles. Now, astatine nan property of 66 – he turns 67 nan time earlier nan World Cup starts – he has embarked connected a full caller adventure. “Coaching Brazil is highly motivating,” he told Estadão successful 2025. “I judge this is 1 of nan astir important moments of my career.” The commencement to life successful Brazil was not easy because of injuries to cardinal players, defeats against Bolivia, Japan and France and nan very beardown unit to prime Neymar. But nan likeable Italian seems arsenic unruffled arsenic always. “I’m not obsessed pinch winning,” Ancelotti told nan Guardian successful May. “What I person is simply a passion for enjoying nan moments that shot has fixed me.”

Star player

Viní Jr’s position arsenic 1 of nan champion players connected nan satellite is indisputable but he has, truthful far, ne'er managed to replicate his Real Madrid performances pinch nan Brazil nationalist team, wherever he has, astatine nan clip of writing, played 47 matches, scoring conscionable 8 goals and providing 7 assists. This is his chance to alteration that communicative arsenic he will deterioration nan historical No 10 garment and beryllium nan team’s prima astatine nan 2026 World Cup. “If Vinícius is focused connected nan game, focused connected his football, he is nan champion successful nan world,” Casemiro told nan newspaper As successful 2025. “In that way, he is nan best. But that’s not easy, because he is perpetually provoked.”

Vinicius Junior (right) dribbles nan shot past Andrej Kramaric during Brazil’s friends lucifer against Croatia successful March. Photograph: Roger Wimmer/ISI Photos/Getty Images

One to watch

Endrick needed to return a measurement backmost successful bid to move 2 steps forward. Overlooked astatine Real Madrid by Xabi Alonso he was loaned to Lyon successful January and rediscovered his form, making 12 extremity contributions successful 17 Ligue 1 games. Ancelotti did not hesitate to telephone him up successful March and against Croatia, having travel connected arsenic a substitute, he proved nan impetus arsenic nan Seleção came from 1-0 down to triumph 3-1. He whitethorn not beryllium successful Ancelotti’s starting XI astatine nan commencement of nan tourney but beryllium not amazed if he is later on.

Unsung hero

During Arsenal’s climb to nan apical of nan crippled successful England and Europe, Gabriel Magalhães has established himself arsenic 1 of nan champion centre-backs successful nan world. At nan World Cup, overmuch will beryllium made of nan performances and apt goals from Raphinha and Viní Jr aliases moreover Alisson’s saves, but each of that will count for thing if Gabriel does not clasp nan defence together. “When you talk astir nan Brazilian nationalist team, you person to activity each day, activity astatine your nine truthful you tin get present successful apical form,” Gabriel said successful 2025. “I cognize I’m doing very well, but I besides cognize nan level I tin still reach.”

Probable starting XI

What to expect from fans astatine games?

This World Cup will not consciousness for illustration playing distant for Brazil. According to nan government, much than 2.8 cardinal Brazilians unrecorded successful nan United States, astir of them successful nan New York and Miami regions, wherever Brazil will play 2 of their 3 group games. In addition, galore fans, perchance arsenic galore arsenic hundreds of thousands, are expected to recreation to North America for nan tournament. The supporters’ group Movimento Verde Amarelo will beryllium coming and has nan backing of instrumentality groups from 40 different Brazilian shot clubs. This should make venues specified arsenic MetLife Stadium and Hard Rock Stadium consciousness arsenic adjacent arsenic imaginable to nan Maracanã.

Relationship pinch nan US/Trump?

The players and nan CBF are staying good retired of authorities for this World Cup but Brazil and nan US had a disagreement successful March erstwhile president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he had “forbidden” 1 of Donald Trump’s advisers from visiting nan South American country. That was successful retaliation for his wellness curate being denied a US visa. The 2 met precocious astatine nan White House and, while Trump said discussions had been “very good”, nan 2 governments do not work together connected cardinal issues specified arsenic crime and trade.

Written by Gustavo Faldon for Estadão