On 19/8, coach Carlo Ancelotti announced a preliminary Brazil squad for their final two World Cup qualifiers against Chile on 5/9 and Bolivia on 10/9. The squad sees the return of Rodrygo and Eder Militao, both of whom missed the previous international break due to injury.

Rodrygo's recall is unexpected. The 24-year-old forward has recently fallen out of favor at Real Madrid. Xabi Alonso, who succeeded Ancelotti in May, has only started Rodrygo once – in the Club World Cup draw against Al Hilal (1-1). Despite being injury-free, the Brazilian star has been benched for four matches since, with only two substitute appearances totaling 36 minutes.

Rodrygo was benched during Real Madrid's 1-0 win against Osasuna on the evening of 19/8. Photo: *AS*

Alonso is experimenting with various tactical setups that do not include Rodrygo. In the 1-0 victory over Osasuna on the evening of 19/8, he started Brahim Diaz on the right wing and later substituted him with 18-year-old newcomer Franco Mastantuono. This lack of playing time poses a serious threat to Rodrygo's future at Real Madrid and his place in the Brazil national team.

Rodrygo has played six seasons for Real Madrid, four of them under Ancelotti. He has scored 68 goals in 270 appearances, contributing to two Champions League titles and three La Liga titles. His goal against Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-finals and his brace against Man City in the semi-finals were particularly crucial in Real Madrid's 2021-2022 Champions League triumph.

At the international level, Rodrygo has 7 goals in 33 appearances for Brazil. He participated in the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa America.

While recalling Rodrygo, Ancelotti has omitted Vinicius Junior. The yellow card Vinicius received in Brazil's 1-0 win against Paraguay on 10/6 was his third in the qualifying campaign. According to disciplinary rules, the 2024 Ballon d'Or runner-up is suspended for the next match.

Ancelotti holds the record for most Champions League titles, with five wins – two with AC Milan (2003, 2007) and three with Real Madrid (2014, 2022, 2024).

The Italian began his tenure as Brazil's coach in June with a 0-0 draw against Ecuador and a 1-0 victory over Paraguay. Brazil currently sits third in the South American qualifiers with 25 points, having already secured qualification alongside Argentina and Ecuador. The final two matches against Chile and Bolivia are essentially formalities.

Thanh Quy (via *Marca*)