Why is Arturo Vidal not playing for Chile vs. Brazil in World Cup 2026 qualifiers?

Few fixtures in South American soccer carry as much history as Brazil vs. Chile. On Thursday night, the two sides will meet at the iconic Maracana. For Brazil, the stakes are relatively low—they have already secured their spot at the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For Chile, however, the situation is starkly different.

La Roja endured one of their worst-ever qualification campaigns, leaving them eliminated before the final rounds of play. Once considered South America’s rising force after back-to-back Copa America titles in 2015 and 2016, Chile’s golden generation is now in decline. But as fans scanned the squad list for this clash, they noticed a glaring absence. Why is Arturo Vidal, one of Chile’s most iconic midfielders, not playing against Brazil?

Under new coach Carlo Ancelotti, the Selecao are undefeated at home and eager to end their qualifying campaign in style. The Italian has rotated his squad, using these fixtures as an opportunity to test younger players and experiment with new tactical approaches.

Chile, meanwhile, has had little to celebrate. The team managed only two victories in their entire campaign, leading to the resignation of coach Ricardo Gareca. Caretaker boss Nicolas Cordova has since been handed the reins, tasked with overseeing not just matches, but a full-scale rebuild of Chilean soccer. And it is in this rebuild that Vidal’s omission finds its explanation.

Shocking squad reset

Cordova made headlines with his September squad announcement, leaving out Arturo Vidal, Alexis Sanchez, and Charles Aranguiz—three legends who defined Chile’s most successful era. Instead, the caretaker coach opted for a younger, inexperienced group, hoping to lay the groundwork for the future.

“After another dismal international window in June, Cordova dropped 13 players from the group previously selected by Ricardo Gareca,” reported Chilean outlet La Tercera. That purge included not only Vidal and Sanchez but also goalkeeper Brayan Cortes and suspended defender Francisco Sierralta.

The result is one of the youngest squads in Chile’s modern history: 20 players with fewer than 10 caps, and nine awaiting their senior debut. For the first time in over a decade, Chile’s national team will face Brazil without the presence of its legendary midfield general, Arturo Vidal.

At 37, Vidal has enjoyed one of the most illustrious careers in Chilean soccer. From his Champions League runs with Juventus and Bayern Munich to his leadership in Copa America triumphs, he has been the heartbeat of La Roja for nearly two decades. But his absence against Brazil—and the fact that he was not sidelined by injury—suggests a painful truth: this may signal the winding down of his international career.