The Brazil national team has concluded its first series of friendlies since the 2022 World Cup with a mixed bag of results and performances. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti took nine debutants on the tour of Oceania and Asia, using the matches to assess his squad after their round-of-16 exit.

The tour began with a 1-1 draw against Australia in Townsville, where Rayan headed a late equaliser. It was followed by a 4-2 win in Brisbane and a 4-0 victory over India in Calcutta, a slow-paced match that featured three clear errors from the goalkeepers.

New faces and performances

Among the newcomers, full-backs Matheuzinho and Arthur Dias made a good impression. Forward Samuel Lino, seeking more playing time, also performed well during the series. In midfield, Bruno Guimarães maintained a high level, seemingly unaffected by his penalty miss against Norway at the World Cup.

However, defensive concerns emerged. Hugo Souza was criticised for not jumping for Australia's goal in the first match, and Otávio made errors on both goals conceded in the second game. Forward Pedro Morisco had minimal involvement in the match against India.

Ancelotti assesses rhythm

The Italian coach noted a lack of rhythm in attackers Estêvão and Endrick, who are not regular starters at their clubs, Chelsea and Real Madrid, at the start of the European season. "The players did very well. I think Jair played very well. Bontempo in the first game was better than in the second," Ancelotti said.

He explained that players with fewer club minutes often struggle more in competitive international matches. Despite this, Ancelotti expressed satisfaction with the work period. "We leave this period with the feeling that the players will be able to do better." he stated.

Next steps

Ancelotti said he has a clearer idea for the next squad selection, which will be announced after monitoring players in Brazil and abroad. He does not expect many changes but wants to see other young players who were not ready for this FIFA date.

The next tests will be in November, with two friendlies at the National Stadium in Singapore. Brazil faces Japan on 14 November, a team they beat with a late Martinelli winner in the World Cup round of 32. Three days later, on 17 November, they take on Singapore.

The last win, 4-0 over India, was built with goals from Estêvão, Pedro and a brace from Samuel Lino. The top scorer this season remains Vinícius Júnior with 4 goals in 5 appearances, despite showing form below his best during this tour.

More detail at Folha Esporte