Can Ancelotti’s new faces give Brazil a fresh start?
Carlo Ancelotti has wasted no time beginning his Brazil rebuild, with the Italian coach naming a new-look squad for the upcoming international friendlies against Australia and India and making it clear that the next generation will be at the centre of his plans.
Brazil's early exit from the 2026 World Cup forced Ancelotti to rethink his options. The five-time world champions were eliminated by Norway in the last 16, bringing a disappointing end to a campaign that had promised more.
"The World Cup was a disappointment for us and for me personally," Ancelotti said after announcing his latest squad. "We weren't able to play the way we expected."
Ancelotti admitted the defeat to Norway was particularly difficult because Brazil had looked capable of getting a better result.
"Being eliminated by Norway was a huge letdown because the team had actually played well up until the 60th minute of that match," he said. "The defeat to Norway came as a surprise in that sense, because no one expected it to happen."
This is a balanced squad, with players who were at the World Cup. It will be important for the next generation. We have to prioritise young players who will be old enough to play in the next World Cup or the next Copa America.
Now the former Real Madrid boss wants to use the disappointment as the starting point for a new cycle.
"At a club, you have the chance to process things and move on relatively quickly because there's another competition coming up; with the national team, it's more complicated," Ancelotti said. "The pain of the defeat lingers much longer."
But the Italian is not interested in dwelling on the World Cup any longer.
"Now, however, we are motivated by the fact that we have time to prepare for a new cycle and get ready for the upcoming competitions," he added.
His first major decision has been to look beyond some of Brazil's established stars and give younger players an opportunity. Alisson, Ederson and Weverton are all absent from the latest squad, with Hugo Souza, Pedro Morisco and Otavio called up instead.
The decision to leave Alisson out is particularly significant given his status as Brazil's first-choice goalkeeper at the World Cup. But Ancelotti insists the Liverpool star has not been permanently discarded.
"That doesn't mean the others are excluded," Ancelotti said. "We know Alisson very well, and when the competitions -- like the Copa America -- come, if he remains being the best goalkeeper in Brazil, Alisson will play."
Chelsea forwards Joao Pedro and Estevao were recalled on Wednesday to Brazil's squad for September and October friendlies against Australia and India. Pedro was one of the players left out by Ancelotti to make room for Neymar in Brazil's World Cup squad, where the five-time champions were eliminated by Norway in the last 16.
For now, however, the coach wants to gather information on younger players.
"Right now, however, we have to prioritize the younger ones," he said.
That approach has also affected other experienced members of the squad. Casemiro, Fabinho and Danilo are among those who have been left out, while Gabriel Martinelli and Matheus Cunha are also missing.
Neymar's absence is different. The Santos star has retired from international football after Brazil's World Cup elimination, bringing an end to his career with the national team.
The decision means Brazil must now move forward without their all-time leading scorer and one of the defining players of the previous generation.
Ancelotti has already made it clear that this squad is about preparing for the future, rather than simply selecting the most experienced players available.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. "This is a balanced squad, with players who were at the World Cup. It will be important for the next generation," he said. "We have to prioritise young players who will be old enough to play in the next World Cup or the next Copa America."
That philosophy has opened the door for several new faces, including goalkeeper Pedro Morisco, goalkeeper Otavio, defender Mauro Junior and midfielders Breno Bidon and Gabriel Bontempo.
There is also a significant return for Chelsea forward Joao Pedro, who was controversially left out of Brazil's World Cup squad after Ancelotti chose Neymar.
Now Joao Pedro has another opportunity to convince the coach.
Estevao is also back in the squad after injury disrupted his involvement ahead of the World Cup.
While Ancelotti is promoting youth, he has not abandoned the players he believes can lead the transition. Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, Bruno Guimaraes, Gabriel Magalhaes and Marquinhos remain key members of the squad.
"I chose these players -- Marquinhos, Gabriel [Magalhaes], Bruno [Guimaraes], Raphinha, and Vini Jr. -- to help with this change in direction," Ancelotti said. "They are crucial for the future."
The coach also believes the experienced players have a responsibility beyond their own performances.
"We are confident in their commitment to quality, seriousness and professionalism, and they will help the younger players improve," he said.
That could prove crucial as Brazil attempt to develop a squad capable of challenging for major honours again.
Ancelotti has also rejected the idea that older players have been permanently ruled out.
"There’s no closed door; the door is open to all," he said.
The message is simple: form and performances will determine who gets back into the Brazil squad.
"Sometimes, the club’s objective isn’t the same as the national team’s objective," Ancelotti said. "Logically, right now I prefer to focus my work on the young players and follow their progress."
The coach was also questioned about criticism from former Brazil captain Thiago Silva, who argued that players should not be discarded simply because of their age.
Ancelotti's response was clear.
"One thing is certain: a player who is 34 or 35 years old isn't the future; they are the present," he said. "If a player of that age is ready to play in a major tournament, they will be in the national squad."
That means the door remains open for experienced players who can prove they still have something to offer.
But for these upcoming friendlies, Ancelotti wants to look at the players who could form the backbone of Brazil's next cycle.
The schedule gives him the perfect opportunity to experiment. Brazil will face Australia in Townsville on September 25 and again in Brisbane on September 29 before meeting India in Kolkata on October 3.
The results will matter, but Ancelotti's bigger priority will be finding out which players can handle international football and develop into reliable options for the next Copa America and the 2030 World Cup.
Brazil have already suffered the disappointment of another World Cup campaign ending earlier than expected. Ancelotti now has time to make changes before the next major test.
He knows there is no guarantee that every young player in this squad will become a star. He also knows some of the experienced players currently outside the squad may force their way back in.
As Ancelotti put it: "That doesn't mean other players won't be involved."
"We prioritized younger players for these friendlies to gather more precise information on everyone," he added. "It is possible that, by the time we reach the competitions, players not on this list today could be on the final squad."
That is the biggest message from Ancelotti's first squad of the new Brazil cycle.
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