Brazil’s head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has decided not to pick Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifying games against Chile and Bolivia.
Vinícius, who is 25 years old, cannot play against Chile on September 5 because he is suspended. Since he would miss that match, Ancelotti also chose not to take him for the Bolivia game on September 10. Instead, the coach wants him to stay in Madrid, rest, and prepare for the busy matches ahead with both club and country.
This means Brazil will be without one of their best attackers as they continue their journey to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Right now, Brazil is sitting in third place in the South American (CONMEBOL) table, behind Argentina and Ecuador. The Selecão beat Paraguay 1-0 back in June, and now they will be hoping for another win—especially against Chile—to keep their World Cup hopes strong.
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