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Brazil have always been one of the teams to beat in international competitions, especially the Copa America. However, the Selecao have been going through some tough times lately, especially after their late capitulation against Luka Modric's Croatia in the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals.
Brazil's new manager Dorival Junior wasted no time in confirming the 23-man squad that will represent the Selecao in Copa America 2024. Although the lineup boasts an exceptional attack and a solid defence, some notable absentees and surprise inclusions exist.
The most notable exclusion is that of the Brazillian talisman Neymar. However, it's not a surprise because the Al-Hilal forward has been out for a long time because of a ruptured ACL and meniscus in his left knee. Other surprise absentees include Casemiro, Richarlison and Gabriel Jesus.
Meanwhile, 17-year-old Palmerias striker Endrick has made the squad and will likely be Brazil's primary striker in the tournament. Here's the strongest possible Brazillian XI that Dorival Junior will have at his disposal in the upcoming Copa America. We consider a 4-3-3 formation for the line-up.
Brazil Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
For Brazil, two goalkeepers are miles ahead of the rest of the roster: Liverpool's Alisson Becker and Manchester City's Ederson Moraes. Previous manager Tite preferred to start Alisson over Ederson, but it remains to be seen who Dorival prefers.
Alisson has had a moderate season with Liverpool and has kept seven clean sheets. The goalkeeper is a great shot-stopper and is also very good at ball distribution.
Moreover, his long-ball capabilities will be useful for releasing lightning-quick forwards like Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo when starting counterattacks.
Left-back: Wendell
FC Porto's Wendell is known for his ability to function as an inverted full-back, especially when he's coming forward.
For Porto this season, Wendell has scored four goals while moving and functioning as an inverted full-back. He might not have the electric pace as Couto but has the potential to complement well with Vinicius Junior.
While Vinicius provides width to the attack, he can move inward and function as a passing option for the Real Madrid man.
Centre-back: Eder Militao
Real Madrid's Eder Militao is a solid candidate at the back for the Selecao. However, he has recently returned from an ACL tear and will have to prove his fitness to Dorival Junior before he can make the starting line-up.
At his peak fitness, Militao has the perfect blend of defensive rigidity and passing awareness. The defender's presence will help Brazil to use the backline to build from the back. Additionally, he's good with his head and isa lethal target from corners.
Centre-back: Marquinhos
The 30-year-old Paris Saint Germain defender is one of the rare experienced players in this relatively new Brazillian setup.
His experience and ability to marshall his troops will be crucial for Brazil to function well. Moreover, Marquinhos can head the ball well from set-pieces and has an eye for goal when making his rare forward runs.
This season for PSG, the Brazillian has had an impressive passing accuracy of 95% and 4.6 balls recovered per game.
Right-back: Yan Couto
Manchester City loanee Yan Couto will make a good right-back after a good season with La Liga outfit Girona. The 21-year-old is known for making a lot of forward runs to aid in the attack and will be useful in providing the width in the attack for the yellow outfit.
Moreover, his crosses into the box are often effective, and the full-back is adept at providing assists to the frontmen. This season for Girona, he has recorded eight assists and also boasts an impressive 4.5 balls recovered per game.
Left midfielder: Lucas Paqueta
Lucas Paqueta, along with Bruno Guimaraes, will be the creative midfielder to hold things in midfield for the Selecao.
The most surprising element about Paqueta's game is his physique despite his lanky build. The West Ham midfielder is strong on the ball apart from having exceptional ball control in tight spaces.
This skill was evident when West Ham faced Arsenal, and Paqueta could overpower Kai Havertz multiple times. Havertz is forward with considerable physical strength, but that was never a problem for the Brazillian midfielder.
This strength will be useful in South American conditions, where football often becomes extremely physical.
Central midfielder: Bruno Guimaraes
Bruno Guimaraes is a box-to-box midfielder who contributes something to all three parts of the field. The Newcastle United defender functions like an out-of-position midfielder, traversing the length of the pitch and looking to break opponents' plays.
Needless to say, he has a healthy ball recovery rate of 6.3 balls per game. Moreover, he functions as a hole-player and offers creativity in the final third of the pitch.
This season, Guimaraes has the second-highest distance covered in the Premier League, with 343 km.
Right midfielder: Douglas Luiz
Douglas Luiz started his career as a defensive-minded midfielder who would pick up balls from his own half and orchestrate the midfield. However, Unai Emery has caused a paradigm shift in his gameplay this season for Aston Villa.
The new version of Douglas Luiz makes and scores goals apart from providing stability in midfield. With nine goals and five assists this season, the Brazillian midfielder has shown his prowess while going forward under Emery. His inclusion will be crucial in the Brazil midfield to add an extra layer of stability in both offence and defence.
Left winger: Vinicius Junior
Vinicius Junior is one of the star players of Real Madrid and will be on a run for the Ballon d'Or if the Los Blancos win their 15th UEFA Champions League on June 1. The flamboyant winger has the perfect blend of pace, dribbling skills and finish to become a defender's nightmare.
Moreover, he's used to playing with Rodrygo at Real Madrid and will have no problems combining with him in the yellow outfit. The 23-year-old has scored 15 goals this season for Madrid and has been a crucial figure in their overall success.
Centre-forward: Endrick
Endrick will be the player to watch out for this Copa America for Brazil. The 17-year-old is not simply a traditional goal poacher like Erling Haaland but also helps link up the attack with the midfield.
Moreover, the Palmerias striker can play in multiple positions, giving flexibility to the frontline to switch positions in the middle of games. Endrick has also shown the ability to receive the ball between the lines, spread it to the wings and make diagonal runs to receive the cross and beat the offside trap.
Right winger: Rodrygo
With Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior and Endrick in the front three, Brazil boast one of the most feared attacking lineups in world football. The best part about this attacking trio is that no player is exactly similar to the other.
Rodrygo is one of the best hole-players in world football. He may not have the speed or physique of a quintessential winger but has the agility to assess the position and move into pockets of space to receive balls from the midfield. That makes him a tough player to mark for opposition defenders.
Other members of the squad:
Goalkeepers: Bento, Ederson
Midfielders: Andreas Pereira, Joao Gomes
Defenders: Beraldo, Gabriel Magalhaes, Danilo, Guilherme Arana
Attackers: Evanilson, Gabriel Martinelli, Raphinha, Savinho
