Rafael Nogueira
Vinícius Absent Despite Recent Heroics
Carlo Ancelotti, head coach of the Brazilian national team, has released the preliminary list of players for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Bolivia. Notably, Vinícius Júnior has been excluded, despite scoring the decisive goal in Brazil’s June victory over Paraguay.
The Real Madrid winger is suspended for the clash against Chile and will not travel to Bolivia either, where the match will be played at 4,100 meters altitude in El Alto. According to Ancelotti, rest and preparation for Real Madrid’s season take priority at this stage.
Rodrygo and Militão Return
While Vinícius misses out, his Madrid teammates are back in the fold. Rodrygo, who sat out the June fixtures by agreement with the coach due to a dip in form, has been recalled and could slot straight into the starting XI. Meanwhile, Éder Militão has returned following a long injury layoff, having successfully recovered from a second cruciate ligament surgery. Militão recently featured for Madrid in a friendly against Tirol, where he played 90 minutes and even scored, a strong signal of his readiness to anchor Brazil’s defense.
Brazil’s Roadmap
The final squad list will be confirmed on August 25 in Rio de Janeiro. The Seleção will assemble on September 1 at their training base in Teresópolis. Fixtures are set for September 4 against Chile at the Maracanã, followed by the high-altitude test against Bolivia on September 9 in El Alto.
What It Means
Ancelotti’s decision to rest Vinícius reflects a pragmatic approach: protecting one of Brazil’s biggest stars from unnecessary fatigue and injury risk. With Rodrygo looking to reassert himself and Militão back as a defensive cornerstone, the focus now shifts to how Brazil will adapt tactically without Vinícius as they continue their march toward the 2026 World Cup.