Coach Carlo Ancelotti left Vinicius out of the Brazil squad for September, while still recalling Eder Militao and Rodrygo to the Selecao. This is a love that Carletto tries to give to his old club Real Madrid.

Carlo Ancelotti Favors Vinicius for the Sake of… Real Madrid

Coach Carlo Ancelotti will not call up Vinicius for Brazil’s September matches, while Eder Militao and Rodrygo are both recalled to the Selecao. This is a clear favor that “Carletto” deliberately gives to his former club, Real Madrid.

Vinicius will be spared from the grueling experience at the “hell” of La Paz, located 4,100 meters above sea level.

The Real Madrid winger will not have to play in Brazil’s two matches of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Despite only being suspended for one game, Ancelotti decided to leave him out of the provisional squad list. Had he been called up, his suspension due to yellow card accumulation would have fallen on the home match against Chile on September 4.

That means Vinicius will avoid the infamous away clash against Bolivia in La Paz on September 9 — a match no South American player ever looks forward to.

Ancelotti has chosen what he believes is best for both Brazil and Real Madrid: prioritizing Vinicius’ rest, considering Brazil’s schedule in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup. Since Brazil already secured qualification, there’s no real pressure in these final CONMEBOL qualifiers.

Known for being cautious about the fitness of his players, Ancelotti doesn’t want to risk one of his brightest stars in a meaningless match. He will announce the final list for the two games on August 25, but in accordance with FIFA’s requirements, a provisional list has already been submitted.

Rodrygo and Militao, however, will join the Selecao this time. Militao, who has recovered from his second cruciate ligament injury in quick succession, is expected to feature alongside Rodrygo in the matches against Chile and Bolivia. Ancelotti has already set aside starting roles for them.

Both remain key pillars for Ancelotti, a status they share with Vinicius, Barcelona’s Raphinha, and Manchester United’s Casemiro — all of whom played a central role in the Italian’s early matches in charge of Brazil.

With Vinicius sidelined, attention now turns to whether Ancelotti will call up Neymar, who is still on his recovery path. Last Sunday, Neymar completed his seventh full match with Santos.

Notably, his 90-minute appearance coincided with the upcoming FIFA Days call-up for Brazil. However, his performance was disappointing, as Santos suffered a humiliating 0-6 defeat to Vasco da Gama at Morumbis Stadium in São Paulo, in front of 50,000 spectators.

Therefore, Neymar’s chances of being selected remain slim. Still, in matches that are little more than formalities, he may be given playing time as a substitute for the key starters.