Brazil announces squad for World Cup Qualifiers

Modified Mar 09, 2020 14:28 GMT

Brazil with the Copa America 2019 trophy

On Friday Brazil manager Adenor Leonardo Bacchi (Tite) announced a 24-man squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers at the end of the month, where Brazil will be hoping to get off to a flying start.

Brazil will host Bolivia where they’re huge favourites to get off to a winning start, as well as facing a tricky trip to Peru, who beat the Brazilians in the USA back in September. This time around Brazil will be hoping for a much better time.

Two players have been called up to the squad are uncapped in Ivan of Ponte Preta and Bruno Guimarães of Lyon. Guimarães who recently joined from Athletico Paranaense, in 2019, he played a key role in Athletico lifting the Copa Do Brasil.

Since joining in January, Guimarães has settled into life at Lyon superbly by helping the club defeat Juventus in the Champions League, and a man-of-the-match performance in the Rhône derby showing he is deserving of his call-up.

Five Premier League based players have been called up in Ederson, Fabinho, Roberto Firmino, Gabriel Jesus and Richarlison. With Alisson injured, Ederson will likely take the number one spot. Seven domestic-based players have been selected; Weverton, Ivan, Dani Alves, Éverton Ribeiro, Éverton, Gabriel Barbosa and Bruno Henrique.

The Flamengo trio of Barbosa, Henrique, and Ribeiro, are well worth their call-ups following amazing displays in 2019 and at the start of the 2020 season. It will be interesting to see how they fair together at international level. Barbosa in 2020, has ten goals in nine matches for the Rubro Negro.

This is the first time Brazil will play in a competitive international fixture since the Copa America final in June. Since then Brazil has played six matches, winning just one, drawing three and losing two. Not ideal form going into important qualifiers, and a spell which has seen some fans show their displeasure at Tite.