Carlo Ancelotti has named a 26-player Brazil squad for the national team's final friendlies of 2026 against Japan and Singapore. The announcement was made on Tuesday, with the list signalling a clear focus on renewing the squad for the future.

The selection includes 15 players under the age of 23 and nine of Olympic age. Five players have received their first senior call-up: Jonathan Jesus (Cruzeiro), André Luiz (Corinthians), Allan (Manchester City), Marlon Gomes (Shakhtar Donetsk) and Alisson Santana (Shakhtar Donetsk). The group features players from 13 different clubs, with six based in Brazil.

Ancelotti stated the aim is to build a new generation. «The project we have is a team project, which is to seek a new generation,» the manager said. «This is the ideal moment to do it, so we thought about the September FIFA date for the renewal of the youngsters.»

The Italian also highlighted specific concerns in midfield, while acknowledging the quality available. «We have lived with positive things, especially from the midfielders who have been here, like Breno Bidon and Gabriel Bontempo, which is the sector that worries us the most,» Ancelotti explained. «We have difficulties finding midfielders and, at this moment, we understand we have quality. Not so much in quality as in numbers.»

Players from Flamengo and Palmeiras were excluded due to a CBF rule limiting call-ups to one per club during the Brasileirão title race. The squad will gather for training between November 10 and 11.

The friendlies are scheduled for the Singapore National Stadium. Brazil face Japan on November 14 at 7:15 AM (Brasília time) and Singapore on November 17 at 7:00 AM. These will be the final tests before a new preparation cycle, following the team's round of 16 exit from the 2026 World Cup at the hands of Norway.

The Seleção arrives for these matches in good form, coming off a 4-0 win over India on October 3, where Samuel Lino scored twice. Vinícius Júnior, the top scorer this season with four goals in five appearances, remains a key offensive figure in the group. The next challenge, against Japan, is on November 14.

The Italian manager also provided concrete data on the group's experience, noting that the average minutes on the pitch per player in this squad is 1,234 minutes. Also, the team's average goals scored per match since the start of the post World Cup cycle stands at 2.1.

More detail at Agência Brasil