In just a few days, the next international break will arrive, bringing with it the final fixtures in the FIFA calendar for South American teams in World Cup qualifiers. Brazil are already qualified, and as a result, several players—including Real Madrid’s Vinicius and Rodrygo—will be absent. However, others, like Barcelona’s Raphinha, have been called up to the squad.
This week, head coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the list of 23 players who will represent Brazil in the qualifiers against Chile and Bolivia, set for September 4 and 9. While Neymar’s absence stood out, so did the omission of other star players Ancelotti has opted to rest.
Vinicius is suspended for the first match against Chile due to yellow card accumulation, which left him available only for the second match against Bolivia, to be played in El Alto at an altitude of 4,095 meters (13,435 feet) above sea level. Given those conditions and the physical toll of playing at high altitude, Ancelotti decided it wasn’t necessary to include the winger.
A similar approach was taken with other Real Madrid stars. Endrick, who has been dealing with fitness issues since the FIFA Club World Cup, was also left out of the squad. But the most surprising exclusions were Eder Militao and Rodrygo Goes—regulars for Brazil who appear to have been given a rest by the Italian coach.
Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti excluded all Real Madrid players from the call-up list.
Controversy in Barcelona
While Ancelotti’s decision to rest some of his top players for these relatively low-stakes September fixtures makes sense, it hasn’t been without controversy. Unlike Vinicius, Militao, and Rodrygo, a Barcelona player will still be making the trip to South America.
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Raphinha was included in Brazil’s 23-man roster for the matches against Chile and Bolivia. This sparked speculation in the Catalan media, with some even suggesting that Ancelotti may have intentionally given Real Madrid a competitive advantage by resting their players, while not doing the same for Barcelona.
Head coach Hansi Flick considers Raphinha a key part of the team’s system. The 28-year-old winger played 57 matches last season across La Liga, the Champions League, Copa del Rey, and Spanish Super Cup, tallying 34 goals and 25 assists. In the early stages of the current campaign, he’s already contributed one goal and one assist in two appearances.
Raphinha’s response to Brazil call-up
Amid the controversy and speculation, Raphinha took to social media to share his thoughts about traveling to South America to face Chile and Bolivia. “Always an honor,” the winger wrote in an Instagram story, accompanied by a photo of himself wearing the Brazil jersey—underscoring how much representing his country still means to him.
Raphinha on Instagram.
