The Real Madrid trio of Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, and Endrick (who is set to play for Madrid after he turns 18) were some of the prominent names in attack as Brazil announced its squad for the Copa America 2024 on Friday.
Raphinha, who impressed with Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League knockouts this season, scoring three of his side’s four goals against Paris Saint-Germain in the quarterfinals, also earned a call-up and is expected to be a regular in the tournament for the Selecao.
Endrick, the 17-year-old sensation who scored against England and Spain in consecutive games in the international friendlies, was a notable addition to the squad.
Having made his debut in November last year, he had become the youngest-ever goalscorer, club or country, at Wembley Stadium with his debut goal against the Three Lions.
However, Neymar, the highest-ever goalscorer for Brazil with 79 goals, failed to make the cut as he is recuperating from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. He picked up the injury in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier against Uruguay in October last year and has been out of action for Brazil since.
Casemiro, Brazil’s mainstay at the defensive midfield position at the FIFA World Cup 2022 and the captain of the team since match 2023, was the biggest snub among the players excluded from the squad. The Manchester United player has had a tough 2023-24 season, struggling with injuries, and was also out of the squad selected for the friendly against England in March.
Antony, another Man United player struggling for form, also missed out while Richarlison, who scored a brilliant overhead kick against Serbia in the World Cup 2022, did not make the cut as well. The Tottenham Hotspur forward, however, is reportedly injured.
Brazil, with nine titles, is the second most successful team in Copa America, behind Argentina and Uruguay, both of whom have 15 titles each. It is drawn in Group D in this edition of the tournament, alongside Colombia, Paraguay, and Costa Rica.
This is the second time the United States will host Copa America, after its centenary edition in 2016, with 16 teams battling it out for the coveted title.
Credit: Sportstar
