“Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Bento (Al Nassr), Ederson (Fenerbahce).”
“Defenders: Alex Sandro (Flamengo), Danilo (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Douglas Santos (Zenit), Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal), Ibañez (Al Ahli), Léo Pereira (Flamengo), Marquinhos (PSG), Wesley (Roma).”
“Midfielders: Andrey Santos (Chelsea), Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo Santos (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al Ittihad).”
“Strikers: Endrick (Lyon), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), João Pedro (Chelsea), Luiz Henrique (Zenit), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Rayan (Bournemouth), Raphinha (Barcelona), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid).”
If this Monday, late afternoon, at the Museum of Tomorrow, in Rio, Carlo Ancelotti speaks exactly these names, which are in alphabetical order in each sector/position, to make up the list of the 26 Brazilian players who will go to the World Cup, I will have “accomplished”.
Possible? Yes. I follow the logic that includes the presence in at least one of the five call-ups that the prestigious Italian coach, who renewed his contract with the CBF until 2030, has made since taking over the Brazilian team, in May last year, and the participation/level of performance in the matches, in the World Cup qualifiers and/or friendlies.
Likely? I’m not pretentious about that. The relationship is expected, but one must consider, even if without conviction, the unexpected, and the unexpected is not what many people expect: that, right after saying “Matheus Cunha (Manchester United)”, Carletto says “Neymar (Santos)”.
If this happens, there will be excitement throughout Brazil, as the 34-year-old star has thousands and thousands of fans eager for him to be in his fourth World Cup, and satisfaction within the team’s internal environment, as Neymar is well-liked among his peers.
There will also be anger, as thousands and thousands still consider him the “Ney Boy”: cranky, spoiled, headless, mediatic, egocentric, among other non-elevating adjectives. And on the practical side, on the ball side, they believe that number 10 no longer has the football to play “hopscotch”.
Ancelotti calling Neymar healthy will be a mega surprise. The “mister” said in a recent interview that the striker has evolved in his performances for Santos and that, if he decides to include him, he will not be throwing “a bomb in the dressing room”, as he is “very loved” by his teammates.
Of the players, only the one who is left out because of the option for Neymar will be upset. I believe that former Vasco player Rayan, 19, physically leagues ahead of the Santos captain but with minimal experience in the national team (a single match, 14 minutes on the field, in a friendly this year), would be excluded.
Thus, the unexpected is the call-up of Gerson, 28, who has played very well recently for Cruzeiro and is a more offensive midfielder than Andrey Santos, 22, who isn’t even a Chelsea starter. It would be surprising because the Cruzeiro native was only called up once by Ancelotti, in the initial call-up, almost a year ago.
Or someone appears who, like Neymar, but without Neymar’s aura, never had a chance with Carletto but who is now in a golden phase: Pedro, 28, Flamengo striker.
Or Thiago Silva, nicknamed Monstro, another never named by Ancelotti, active at 41 years old, at Porto, who captained Brazil in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
I prefer Pedro to Igor Thiago. I prefer Gerson to Andrey or Fabinho. I prefer Thiago Silva (or Diego Carlos, who had a great championship for the modest Como, sixth placed in the Italian Championship) to Ibañez.
Carletto, apparently, has other preferences. That meet the unexpected. The expected will prevail.
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