Brazil endured their worst qualification campaign ever for the 2026 World Cup, finishing fifth in the CONMEBOL standings on just 28 points from 18 matches. The Selecao lost home and away to arch-rivals Argentina, with a 4-1 drubbing at the Estadio Monumental ultimately costing Dorival Junior his job as manager, and they were also handily beaten by Uruguay, Colombia, Paraguay and Bolivia. But hope for the 2026 finals remains high, with Carlo Ancelotti now holding the reins for the most successful national team in history.
The fact is, Brazil still qualified comfortably, finishing ahead of Paraguay on goal difference to secure an automatic top-six spot, with Bolivia eight points further back in seventh. There are also similarities to be drawn with their journey to South Korea and Japan in 2002, where Brazil picked up only 30 qualifying points, but still stormed to their fifth World Cup by winning all seven of their tournament matches while scoring 18 goals.
Back then, the firepower provided by Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Rivaldo proved too much for any opponent. Head coach Luis Felipe Scolari was the envy of all his international counterparts because of the attacking quality at his disposal. And next summer, when the tournament takes place across the United States, Canada and Mexico, Ancelotti may well be in the same position.
This iteration of Brazil doesn't have a single player who can quite match any of the three Rs for individual brilliance, but they arguably have even greater strength in depth up top. Fresh evidence of that was provided in the 5-0 friendly demolition of South Korea on Friday, with Chelsea wonderkid Estevao Willian and Rodrygo each bagging a brace before Vinicius Jr got in on the act.
Defensively, there are still flaws to be ironed out, but if Ancelotti can strike the right balance at the top end of the pitch, they could be rendered moot. Brazil's fear factor is slowly returning and so too is the 'joga bonito' style that has set them apart so often down the years.
Getty Images SportRodrygo's revival
Despite not coming in a competitive game, the win over South Korea was a significant step forward for Brazil. Hong Myung-Bo's side finished top of their Asian qualifying group without losing a single game, and beat the U.S. 2-0 in a glamour friendly just last month.
Brazil could easily have become another major scalp for Son Heung-min and Co had they not been at their best. Ancelotti, therefore, would have been delighted with what he saw at the Seoul World Cup Stadium.
With just 13 minutes on the clock, Estevao opened the floodgates with a cool first-time finish after running in behind the defence to meet a superb Bruno Guimaraes through ball. Rodrygo made it 2-0 just before half-time with a lovely solo goal, and he and Estevao both doubled their accounts within the first five minutes of the restart as Korea completely capitulated.
Vinicius then rounded off the comprehensive victory late on to cap a fine all-round display, though it was his Real Madrid colleague Rodrygo who stood out most after being recalled to the squad, operating in a No.10 role that allowed him to show the full scope of his unique talent.
Rodrygo has been reduced to a back-up role at Madrid in the early stages of the season, but would have given Xabi Alonso plenty to ponder with his electric performance. He possesses the technical skill and agility to thrive behind the striker, and could become a key player for club and country again if he's given more opportunities in that position in the coming months.
Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesThe No.9 battle
Matheus Cunha also passed his audition against Korea in the highly coveted No.9 slot. The Manchester United new boy didn't score, but he constantly stretched the Korea defence with his intelligent runs and provided the inch-perfect pass for Vinicius to score Brazil's fifth.
Cunha has only scored once in 15 appearances for Brazil to date and is not an out-and-out centre-forward, but he can bring the best out of those around him with his link-up play. Spain often employed a false nine between 2010 and 2016, achieving unprecedented success, and it's possible that Brazil could adopt a similar model with Cunha leading the line.
But the competition for that role is fierce. Nottingham Forest's Igor Jesus, who came on for Cunha in the final stages of the Korea game, is a more natural target man who presses relentlessly. Bournemouth's Evanilson has a similar profile, while there are also a host of Brazil-based options for Ancelotti to consider, including Cruzeiro's Kaio Jorge, Flamengo frontman Pedro and Barcelona flop Vitor Roque, who is currently enjoying a resurgence at Palmeiras.
Endrick is still in the background, too, despite being exiled from Alonso's plans at Madrid. It has been reported that the 19-year-old will seek a loan move in January if his situation doesn't improve, and he certainly has the talent to make a late play for a World Cup ticket. Brentford's Igor Thiago and forgotten Arsenal man Gabriel Jesus, who is still recovering from knee surgery, could also be in the frame by the time Ancelotti has to name his squad.
However, two names stick out above all the other contenders, and if they're both fit, it could be a straight shoot-out.
Getty/GOALRicharlison vs Joao Pedro
In one corner stands Joao Pedro, the £60 million ($80m) Chelsea star who has made an impressive start to life at Stamford Bridge since joining the club from Brighton in June. Pedro has racked up eight goal involvements in his first 12 appearances for the Blues, including a crucial strike in their Club World Cup final win over Paris Saint-Germain.
The 24-year-old has yet to open his goal account for Brazil, but has only played for his country five times to date. He asserted himself well in Ancelotti's September camp, and was only absent from the latest squad due to injury. Pedro is a hardworking striker who, like Cunha, will drop deep to try and create chances, but is perhaps even more deadly than the former Wolves star when he gets a sight of the posts, needing only the tiniest pocket of space to find the target.
If he is fully fit, there is no doubt that Pedro will be at the World Cup next summer. It's possible, however, that he will have to serve as Richarlison's deputy. The enigmatic Tottenham striker has always saved his best performances for Brazil duty, as his record of 20 goals and eight assists in 58 international appearances proves, and he's a favourite of Ancelotti, having previously worked with the Italian at Everton.
Richarlison's Tottenham career has been dogged by injuries and inconsistency, but the 28-year-old has looked back to his best this term, even replicating his goal-of-the-tournament bicycle kick against Serbia at the 2022 World Cup in a 3-0 win over Burnley. Richarlison netted three goals in total at the Qatar finals and was one of Brazil's best players during their run to the last eight. He's a direct, powerful centre-forward who can score with both feet and offer a real threat in the air, which makes him the best man for the job next summer, provided he can keep up his current level through to the finishing straight of the season and retain Ancelotti's full trust.
GettyEra of Estevao
Brazil's main talisman is likely to come from the flanks in 2026, though, and for the first time in 12 years, it likely won't be Neymar.
Back in 2002, Ronaldo spearheaded the Selecao's glorious World Cup campaign against all odds, after spending the best part of two seasons on the sidelines trying to battle back from two surgeries on a ruptured tendon in his knee. But anyone still holding out hope for Neymar to perform a similar miracle is kidding themselves. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain superstar, who is now back in his homeland with boyhood club Santos, has not played for Brazil since tearing his ACL in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023, and is now struggling with a thigh injury that ruled him out of the latest national team camp.
Ancelotti is publicly keeping the door open for Neymar, but the 33-year-old has been reduced to a physical wreck, with his injury troubles dating back well over a decade now, and it would be foolish for Brazil to put their faith in him again. Fortunately, they have a ready-made successor on their hands in the form of Estevao.
The 18-year-old sensation already has eight caps and three goals to his name, with his first effort in the famous yellow shirt coming via an audacious overhead kick against Chile last month. Estevao was deservedly named Player of the Match after Brazil's 3-0 win and landed the award again for his sublime showing against Korea. He's also quickly nailed down a starting role at Chelsea, wowing Premier League fans with his fearlessness in one-v-one situations.
Estevao has the ability and personality to be Brazil's new main man for years to come. There's no need to take a gamble on Neymar at the World Cup with the teenager already blossoming into one of the finest players of his generation, and thus it should be Estevao that Brazil look to for inspiration in the tighter games. From what we've seen so far, he will relish that responsibility on the biggest possible stage.
