The Brazilian coach, Dorival Júnior, announced the list of those called up for the Copa América in the United States, led by Vinícius Júnior, Endrick, Raphinha, Rodrygo Goes and Éder Militão, and in which Neymar and Casemiro were left out, as well as Vitor Roque of the FC Barcelona. His teammate Raphinha will be there, after coach Dorival Júnior left him out of the roster of 23 players who will play in the competition and the preparatory friendlies against Mexico and the United States.
Neymar will not arrive in time to play in the continental tournament, which begins on June 20, despite the good progress he has made after tearing his cruciate ligament and a meniscus in his left knee. The title of Canarinha star will thus be assumed by Vinícius Júnior, considered by many the fittest player on the world football scene and increasingly decisive in Real Madrid, qualified for the Champions League final. Another of the big absences on the list is that of Casemiro. The Manchester United midfielder has suffered various injuries this season and will not be in the continental tournament.
One of the novelties of the call is the return of Militão, after recovering from his serious knee injury, which caused him to miss a large part of the season with Real Madrid. The coach said he was “sure that he will arrive very well” at the competition, emphasizing that Real Madrid is giving him minutes little by little and stressing that he knows his abilities and his conditions.
There will also be Endrick, the young man from Palmeiras and future Real Madrid player, at 17 years old; and Rodrygo Goes, Vinícius’ teammate in the white team. Raphinha is the only representative of FC Barcelona. Vitor Roque, unprecedented in the Champions League and with only 11 appearances in the League, arrived in January and is not part of the plans of either Xavi or the coach. It is not ruled out that he could leave this summer as explained by his agent André Cury in RAC 1. “Either he has more minutes or he is going to leave,” explained the representative who rules out a loan. Either transfer or nothing.
On the other hand, from Girona, a revelation team in the League that has qualified for the Champions League for the first time, there are full-back Yan Couto and winger Savinho. The attacker Samuel Lino, from Atlético de Madrid, was also left out.
Coach Dorival said in a press conference that his list is the result of “hard work” by his entire team, which included “many national and international trips.” Brazil will debut in the Copa América on June 24 against Costa Rica at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Before that, they will play two warm-up friendlies against Mexico and the United States, on June 8 and 12 in Texas and Florida, respectively.
The Copa América will be the first big test for Dorival Júúnior, in charge since January and who in his first two games in charge of Brazil beat England at Wembley (0-1) and tied with Spain at the Santiago Bernabéu (3-3 ).
Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool, ING), Bento (Athletico Paranaense) and Ederson (Manchester City, ING).
Defenders: Danilo (Juventus, ITA), Yan Couto (Girona, ESP), Guilherme Arana (Atlético Mineiro), Wendell (Oporto, POR), Beraldo (PSG, FRA), Éder Militão (Real Madrid, ESP), Gabriel Magalhães ( Arsenal, ING) and Marquinhos (PSG, FRA).
Midfielders: Andreas Pereira (Fulham, ING), Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle, ING), Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa, ING), João Gomes (Wolverhampton, ING) and Lucas Paqueta (West Ham, ING).
Delanteros: Endrick (Palmeiras), Evanilson (Oporto, POR), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal, ING), Raphinha (Barcelona, ??ESP), Rodrygo Goes (Real Madrid, ESP), Savinho (Girona, ESP) and Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid , ESP).
