Ramon Menezes brings in new faces in new look Brazil squad
Ramon Menezes has named four of the South American U-20 champions. Vinicius, Militao and Rodrygo are also on the list. Culé Raphinha has fallen.
Interim Canarinha coach Ramon Menezes announced his first list which included a few surprises. Vinicius, Rodrygo and Militão are among the 22 players in the Brazil squad for a friendly against Morocco on Saturday 25 March. The three Real Madrid players along with Casemiro and Marquinhos are the most recognizable faces of a eye-opening selection in the first call-up of the post-Tite era.
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Ramon Menezes was keen to reward the players who won the last South American Under-20 tournament for Brazil and included four of the Seleção’s most promising stars in his list. Andrey Santos, Vítor Roque, Mykael and Robert Renan could be handed their senior debut, after shining under Menezes in the Under-20s. Andrey Santos, a new Chelsea signing, will be the mainstay of the midfield alongside veteran Casemiro and Lucas Paquetá. Other young players that Menezes knows perfectly from the lower categories such as André (Fluminense) have also been mentioned. Vítor Roque, who is on Barcelona’s radar, also appears in the senior list for the first time.
Injured star Neymar is one of the major absentees alongside players who have been in form with their respective clubs such as Alisson, Martinelli, Bruno Guimarães and Raphinha.
Brazil face Morocco at Grand Sade de Tanger in Tangier, Morocco on Saturday 25 March with kick-off at 10 p.m. local time (6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT).
The full Brazil squad:
Goalkeepers: Ederson (Manchester City), Mycael (Ath. Paranaense) and Weverton (Palmeiras).
Defenders: Arthur (América Mineiro), Emerson Royal (Tottenham), Alex Telles (Sevilla) and Renan Loddi (Nottingham Forest), Ibañez (Roma), Éder Militão (Real Madrid), Marquinhos (Real Madrid) and Robert Renan (Zenit Saint Petersburg).
Midfielders: André (Fluminense), Andrey Santos (Vasco da Gama), Casemiro (Manchester United), João Gomes (Wolverhampton), Lucas Paquetá (West Ham) and Raphael Veiga (Palmeiras).
Forwards: Antony (Manchester United), Richarlison (Tottenham), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Rony (Palmeiras), Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid) and Vitor Roque (Ath. Paranaense).