Carlo Ancelotti has announced that 11 players have already secured their place in the Brazilian national team for the 2026 World Cup, less than four months before the tournament kicks off across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Background: Ancelotti’s approach to squad selection
Ancelotti believes some players are untouchable, and even if their form dips before the World Cup, he has no intention of dropping them due to their significant technical and leadership qualities. Naming a core group this early is unusual for a Brazil manager, but it gives the Seleção’s biggest names a clear signal of where they stand and frees the remaining squad spots for competitive in-camp evaluation.
Key details: the 11 guaranteed players
Vinicius Junior tops the list of players guaranteed a spot in Brazil’s World Cup squad, regardless of the circumstances, alongside his Real Madrid teammate Rodrygo and Barcelona star Rafinha. Ancelotti also revealed that Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker will be Brazil’s starting goalkeeper at the 2026 World Cup.
Experienced midfielder Casemiro, a close confidant of Ancelotti, has secured his place in the squad, as has Paris Saint-Germain’s Marquinhos — the central defender and likely captain of the team. The remaining locks named by Ancelotti are centre-back Gabriel, midfielder Bruno Guimarães, Chelsea’s Estevão, Arsenal’s Martinelli, and Manchester United’s Matheus Cunha.
What’s next
The upcoming March camp will be the final chance for the remaining Brazilian stars to prove themselves and secure a place in the 23-man international squad, as is customary. Ancelotti’s calendar for that window is already busy: Brazil will play two friendlies in March against France and Croatia, and the federation is reportedly considering an additional friendly against Egypt in May before the tournament begins.
At the World Cup itself, Brazil will open their campaign against Morocco — a rematch of sorts given Morocco’s run to the semi-finals in 2022 — before facing Haiti and Scotland in the remaining group fixtures. With 11 starters already confirmed by the manager, the selection drama between now and June will focus almost entirely on the last 12 places and on which form players can force their way into Ancelotti’s thinking before the cut-off.
