Brazil has called up Vinicius Junior and thirteen other veteran players for the Qatar 2022 World Cup for friendlies against Guinea and Senegal in June. The first match will be played in Barcelona amid repercussions over racism cases the Brazilian winger has faced in Spain.
The list of 23 players was presented by Ramon Menezes, the national team’s interim coach. Five players will make their debut in the Brazil jersey, while four have played before, and about fifteen took part in the World Cup in Qatar, where Brazil lost to Croatia in the quarterfinals.
Among the new additions are full-backs Vanderson and Ayrton Lucas, defender Nino, as well as midfielder Joelinton and forward Malcom. Menezes stated that these debutants have shown their ability at their clubs and deserve the opportunity.
The Brazilian team, still without an official coach, will face Guinea on June 17 in Barcelona. The CBF is working with the RFEF to make the match a statement against racism in Spain, following the insults received by Vinicius. Three days later, Brazil will face Senegal in Lisbon.
Ednaldo Rodrigues, president of the CBF, has urged La Liga in Spain to take action against the cases of racial discrimination suffered by Vinicius and has called for sporting and legal action to combat racism.
Neymar will not be available due to an injury. Vinicius, called Brazil’s new star, played the entire match against Morocco in March.
It is still unknown who will lead the team in the matches before the start of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Menezes praised the performances of Pedro and Richarlison. Brazil seeks to combine experience and new talent to maintain its successful performance in international challenges.