Although he formed a group with the highest average age in Brazil in World Cups, at 28.7 years old, Carlo Ancelotti will take to North America three players who were not even born in 2002, when the Brazilian team won the World Cup for the last time.
The two youngest in the squad defined by the Italian are Rayan, from Bournemouth, in England, and Endrick, from French Lyon, both 19 years old. Together with 22-year-old Wesley, from Roma, the boys form a trio of athletes who don’t know what it’s like to celebrate a Brazilian victory in World Cups.
The kids chosen by Ancelotti are going through a time that could equal Brazil’s longest streak without winning a World Cup. If he returns from North America without the trophy, he will complete 24 years without winning the tournament.
In the 1994 World Cup, the Brazilian team was going through a similar scenario, having gone 24 years without winning a title. At the time, however, only one player called up had not been born in the last World Cup in which the country won the cup: striker Ronaldo, who debuted for the national team at the age of 17.
Although full-back Cafu, midfielder Leonardo and defender Márcio Santos were 24 years old, they were all born a few days or months before the 1970 conquest.
The average age of the team in 1994 was 27 years old, with goalkeeper Gilmar Rinaldi being the oldest, at 35 years old.
