Ancelotti names Estevão, João Pedro and wave of young talent in rebuilt Brazil squad

Carlo Ancelotti has unveiled a significantly reshaped Brazil squad, naming a host of young talents and largely moving on from the players who featured at the World Cup three months ago as the Seleção enter a new era.

The squad will face Australia in two friendlies — on 25 September in Townsville and 29 September in Brisbane — before taking on India for the first time ever on 3 October in Kolkata, a city where Brazilian football commands a vast following.

Ancelotti confirmed in a July interview with the Associated Press, following Brazil’s round-of-16 elimination against Norway at the World Cup, that he intended to rebuild around players who will also be eligible for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. His aim is to use that generation as the foundation of his squad heading into the 2030 World Cup.

Among the notable inclusions are Chelsea forward João Pedro and several other players based in top European clubs. Vinicius Junior and Endrick retain their places from Real Madrid, while Raphinha continues as a key figure from Barcelona. Andrey Santos earns a call-up from Manchester United, and Vitor Reis is included from Manchester City.

The goalkeeping options are drawn entirely from Brazilian domestic football, with Hugo Souza (Corinthians), Pedro Morisco (Coritiba) and Otavio (Cruzeiro) all named. The defensive unit includes Marquinhos of Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhães alongside several less-capped options, among them Jair of Nottingham Forest and Mauro Júnior of PSV Eindhoven.

In midfield, Bruno Guimarães — also of Arsenal — provides experience alongside Douglas Luiz of Juventus, while younger options such as Breno Bidon and Gabriel Bontempo from the Brazilian domestic league reflect Ancelotti’s intent to blood the next generation.

The forward line features Samuel Lino and Pedro from Flamengo alongside the more established names, rounding out a squad that signals a clear generational shift under the Italian coach.