Brazil: Ancelotti embraces a profound rejuvenation of the Seleção

Five months after a World Cup that ended prematurely with an elimination in the round of 16 against Norway, it's time for renewal for Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil, who have indicated they want to launch a "new generation" against Japan on Saturday in Singapore.

"The World Cup has closed a cycle for a generation of players," Ancelotti said on Friday. "We are now building a new generation to be focused and competitive in our next official competitions: the Copa America in 2028 and the World Cup in 2030."

To begin this project against Japan, whom he had beaten 2-1 in the round of 32 at the World Cup, and then Singapore on Tuesday, Ancelotti has thus carried out a profound rejuvenation of his squad by calling up 15 players under 23 years old in his list of 26. A deliberate shift to turn the page on the Neymar generation.

"I think we have a lot of potential. We are watching young players, including some new players here, and we are very happy with what we are seeing. We have young players with a lot of quality and talent," added the 67-year-old Italian coach.

"You can see their attitude in training and how focused they are. They have all given us a lot of confidence for the future," he said, noting, however, that they "maybe lack a little experience, but that's normal."

To guide this youth, the captain's armband will go to Raphinha, the 29-year-old striker in great form with FC Barcelona and also ambitious: "Obviously, we are going through a period of reconstruction with new players, but I see players with a lot of quality and a great desire to give everything they can for the national team jersey," he stressed.

AFP