Published On 4/26/2026
The Italian coach of the Brazilian national football team, Carlo Ancelotti, received one shock after another regarding the significant absences expected from the “Seleção” roster in the 2026 World Cup finals.
Injuries hit Brazil ahead of the World Cup
Real Madrid defender Eder Militao’s season ended poorly. After months of suffering from injury, the player returned to participate in matches, but he suffered a new setback in the posterior thigh muscle, less than 50 days before the start of the World Cup.
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Thus, Militao, who was confirmed to be away from the field for 4 months, joined the list of those absent from Brazil in the upcoming World Cup, along with his compatriots Rodrigo Goes and Vitor Roque, at a time when doubts still surround the duo Estevao and Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
Due to Militao’s absence, coach Ancelotti will find himself forced to continue experimenting and amending his tactical plans, as he did during the last international break, in which he tried an alternative defense line against France (1-2) and Croatia (3-1), but the results were not reassuring, as the Brazilian team showed a weak and worrying defensive performance.
Doubts about Alisson Becker and Estevao
In the goalkeeping position, there are still doubts about Becker’s condition. Although Liverpool coach Arne Slot confirmed that he has recovered from the injury, those close to him confirmed that he is only focused on the World Cup and will not risk returning before being fully certain of his readiness.
As for Estevao, there are still chances for him to participate, but his recovery depends on an agreement between Chelsea and Brazilian officials regarding the rehabilitation program, as the “Blues” management wants the treatment to take place in London, while the player and his surroundings prefer that it take place in his country.
On the front line, the absence of Vitor Roque constitutes a significant blow. Although he was not a primary candidate for the starting lineup, he was an important element as an offensive substitute.
Difficult situation
With only about a month and a half remaining until the start of the tournament, the Brazilian national team finds itself forced to build an effective and rapid playing model that achieves two main goals: convincing the Brazilian fans and providing a strong performance in the World Cup. These are two difficult tasks that coach Ancelotti must accomplish under the pressure of time.
AS newspaper commented on this situation by saying, “Ancelotti is known for his ability to adapt to circumstances and he has proven this throughout his coaching career, but he is now facing perhaps the most difficult test of his career with a project that requires rapid rebuilding before the World Cup.”
The World Cup draw placed the Brazilian team in the third group, along with Morocco, Haiti and Scotland.
The Brazilian national team is the only team in history to have participated in all World Cup tournaments, and it also holds the record for the number of times crowned in the tournament.
Brazilians won the World Cup in 5 previous editions: Sweden 1958, Chile 1962, Mexico 1970, the United States 1994, South Korea and Japan 2002.
