Ancelotti begins planning for 2030 with an eye on the under-20 team

After the elimination of the Brazilian team in the round of 16 of the World Cup in the United States, against Norway, the coach had already announced that he would renew the team. "With this World Cup, a generation of very important players ends. Starting with Neymar. Going through Danilo, Casemiro, all these players who were over 30 years old at the World Cup," he said.

"We are going to start assembling a new team, observing and testing young players, but without giving up some athletes who were with us at the World Cup and who still have a lot to contribute to the team," he added.

Back in Brazil, the Italian held a series of meetings with the coach of the under-20 team, Paulo Victor. The team is concentrated at Granja Comary, in Rio de Janeiro, preparing for friendlies against Bolivia, which will be preparatory for the category's South American competition in 2027.

The under-20 team arrives for the friendlies with three wins and one defeat this season. In March, in Paulo Victor's debut, Brazil beat Paraguay twice by 3-1, in São José dos Campos and Canindé. In June, they won the first friendly against Chile 1-0, but lost the second 2-0, in Santiago.

Among the athletes who caught the attention of the main team coach is Pedro Ferreira, midfielder for São Paulo, champion of the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior in 2025 and two-time champion of the Copa do Brasil under-20.

Three-time champion of the Brazilian Championship in the last four editions of the competition, Palmeiras leads Paulo Victor's list, with five players, with emphasis on 18-year-old striker Heittor Vinicius, who has already made his professional debut.

"The list brings a mix of players who have already been participating in this new under-20 selection process since March, along with athletes who are coming for the first time, valuing the process of observing the Brazilian Under-20 Championship, Series A and Series B", said Paulo Victor.

In addition to the youth team's games, Ancelotti must follow club matches in the under-20 championships.

Based on these observations, the coach can look for athletes to fill the team’s main gaps. The most obvious of these is on the sides. For the 2026 World Cup he called up a trio that didn't shine nor are they old enough to compete in the next World Cup: Danilo, 35, Alex Sandro, 35, and Douglas Santos, 32. Ibañez, 27, improvised in the position, was removed in the first game after a terrible performance.

Wesley, 22 years old, who emerged as the right-back starter in the World Cup, but ended up being cut on the eve of the start of the tournament because of an injury, is an option that should remain on the coaching staff's radar for the next cycle.

The defense duo could also undergo changes for the 2030 World Cup. With three editions already played since 2018, Marquinhos, at 32 years old, can give space to young people who have been gaining ground in Europe, such as Vitor Reis, from Manchester City.

Ancelotti will also have to define a new number 10, with Neymar likely to retire.

The attack should be formed by the trio formed by Estêvão, Rayan and Endrick, in addition to Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and, perhaps, other remnants of the last World Cup (such as Matheus Cunha and Raphinha).

The first opportunities that the Italian coach will have to start showing the changes he intends to implement in the team will be in the two friendlies against Australia, on the 25th and 29th of September, and against India, on the 3rd of October.

With eight games, the record between Brazil and Australia is six Brazilian wins, one Australian and one draw. The match against India will be the first in history between the two teams.

"With these three friendlies, we will begin the new cycle to project the team towards the goals of the coming years, which are the Copa América in 2028 and the World Cup in 2030. We will take advantage of the three friendlies to call up new players for the team, especially young players, who can show their talent in the team in the coming years", stated Ancelotti.

"Integration with the youth teams and the evaluation of the work in the under-15s, under-17s and under-20s are very important. We have to take into account that, four years ago, Rayan played in the under-17s, which was a very important player", added the Italian.

"We have to have a good connection with the under-20s, and also take advantage of the preparation for the next Olympics, where many players could, in theory, be at the 2030 World Cup."

The expectation is that the coach will make his first post-World Cup call-up at the beginning of September.

The first games in official competitions should only take place in the second half of 2027, with the South American Qualifiers for the 2030 World Cup. The venues for the opening games of the next edition of the World Cup, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay are already automatically classified.

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