(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Brazil Leaves Out Vinicius Jr from September Qualifiers Squad
Brazil has announced its preliminary squad list for the upcoming South American Qualifiers in September, but Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr has not been included. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti has made the decision based on tactical reasons, giving the winger time to rest during the international break.
Brazil will face Chile on September 4 and Bolivia on September 9. However, Vinicius Jr was unavailable for selection due to two key reasons. Firstly, he picked up his third yellow card in the last qualifier against Paraguay, which means he is suspended for the clash with Chile. Secondly, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has decided that no players from European clubs will travel for the high-altitude game against Bolivia in La Paz.
As a result, Ancelotti opted to leave the 24-year-old out of the call-up, allowing him to recover and prepare for Real Madrid’s domestic campaign. Vinicius will next feature for Madrid against Mallorca on August 30, before returning for a crucial clash against Real Sociedad on the weekend of September 14.
Meanwhile, two of Vinicius Jr’s Real Madrid teammates, Rodrygo Goes and Eder Militao, have been named in the provisional list. Both players missed the last international break due to injuries but are now in contention to return. For Militao, this could mark his comeback after a year-long absence. His last appearance for Brazil came in the Copa America 2024 semi-final defeat against Uruguay, just before suffering his second ACL tear in November.
The final Brazil squad list will be officially announced on August 25.
