João Pedro is back in Brazil’s plans. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti named the 24-year-old Chelsea striker in his 26-man squad on September 9 for a trio of friendlies: two against Australia and one against India.
The call-up is Ancelotti’s first squad announcement since Brazil’s Round of 16 exit at the 2026 World Cup, and it signals a clear shift in direction. Only 9 players from the World Cup roster were recalled for these matches.
The World Cup snub and what came after
João Pedro’s exclusion from Brazil’s May 2026 World Cup squad was, to put it mildly, a head-scratcher. The striker had just wrapped up his debut season at Chelsea with 20 goals and 9 assists across 50 appearances.
Ancelotti attributed the omission to “squad balance.” Brazil bowed out in the Round of 16.
