Vinicius Jr. will not feature in Brazil’s last two South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. The Real Madrid star was excluded from the preliminary squad submitted to FIFA, according to Brazilian media reports. His absence is due to a suspension following his third yellow card in the 1-0 win over Paraguay, as well as a technical decision to give him rest after a demanding season of over 60 matches for club and country.
The Brazilian Football Confederation will officially unveil the squad on Monday, August 25, during a special event. Players are expected to begin training camp on September 1 ahead of the final qualifiers.
No European-Based Players for Bolivia Clash
While Vinicius is suspended for the September 4 clash against Chile, the coaching staff also opted to leave him out of the September 9 match against Bolivia in El Alto. An agreement was reached that no Europe-based player will travel for the Bolivia fixture, ensuring key players are spared from the high-altitude challenge.
Rodrygo and Militao Return
Carlo Ancelotti’s preliminary list does include Rodrygo and Éder Militao, both returning after injury absences. Militao’s comeback is particularly significant, having recovered from a second cruciate ligament operation and featuring in a friendly against Austrian side Tirol on August 12.
With World Cup qualification already secured, Brazil will use the matches against Chile and Bolivia to test squad depth and manage player workload before shifting focus to preparations for the 2026 tournament.
