1 year after the World Cup, how are the players from that Brazil? – 12/21/2023 – The World Is a Ball

Just over a year ago, Brazil found themselves surprised by Croatia, allowing their opponents to equalize in a match they had under control, and fell in the quarter-finals of the Qatar World Cup.

The Croatians equalized on a counterattack in the second half of extra time, after midfielder Fred, who was forward and out of position, lost a ball challenge.

On penalties, with errors from Rodrygo and Marquinhos, the team was sadly eliminated.

The team that played against Croatia was this: Alisson; Éder Militão (Alex Sandro), Marquinhos, Thiago Silva and Danilo; Casemiro; Lucas Paquetá (Fred) and Neymar; Raphinha (Antony), Richarlison (Pedro) and Vinicius Junior (Rodrygo).

Post-fall, the Tite era came to an end, and the team went through the interim period of Ramon Menezes and is now undergoing a second one, that of Fernando Diniz – the expectation is that Carlo Ancelotti, coach of Real Madrid, will take over in June.

12 months after the 2022 World Cup and in a turbulent scenario (Brazil is not doing well in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers), what is the situation of the athletes called up to play in the World Cup that ended up in the hands of Messi’s Argentina?

Luís Curro: Argentina shows mental strength and focus that Brazil lacked

O Mundo É uma Bola analyzed the 26 players one by one, in order to provide the reader with a diagnosis.

Who didn’t have more chances in the selection? Who lost space and who gained? Who changed teams and who stayed? What is the situation of the “villains” Fred, Rodrygo and Marquinhos? Is the selection basis maintained or not?

Find out below.

Goalkeepers

Alisson (31 years old): Remains in the starting lineup for Liverpool, second in the English Championship. In Fernando Diniz’s Brazilian team, he lost his place to Ederson. It is the first bank option.

Ederson (30 years old): Remains a starter for Manchester City, current English and European champions and World Cup finalists. He gained a starting role in the Brazilian team – he did not play against Colombia and Argentina, in the last games of 2023, because he was injured.

Weverton (36 years old): Remains as a starter for Palmeiras, current Brazilian champion. He has not been called up to the national team since interim Diniz took over.

Sides

Danilo (32 years old): Continues as a starter for Juventus, second in the Italian Championship, playing as a defender in a 3-5-2 formation. Continues as an option for selection.

Daniel Alves (40 years old): Accused of rape, he has been detained in Spain since January and, consequently, away from football. His trial will be in February 2024.

Alex Sandro (32 years old): In Juventus’ 3-5-2 formation, he is currently Serbia’s Kostic’s backup on the left wing. He no longer figured in the team’s plans.

Alex Telles (31 years old): At the time of the World Cup he was at Sevilla, on loan from Manchester United, who later traded him to Al Nassr, the team for which Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo plays. He is the runner-up in the Saudi Championship. He had no chance in Fernando Diniz’s selection.

Defenders

Marquinhos (29 years old): Remains a starter for Paris Saint-Germain, leader of the French Championship, and also for the Brazilian team.

Thiago Silva (39 years old): He hinted after the World Cup that his participation in the national team was over. He continues as a starter for Chelsea, tenth in the English Championship.

Éder Militão (25 years old): Real Madrid starter, suffered a serious knee injury in August and has not played for club or country since then.

Bremer (26 years old): Juventus starter, vice-leader of the Italian Championship, was in Fernando Diniz’s two most recent squads, but remained in reserve the entire time.

Steering wheels

Casemiro (31 years old): Continues as a starter for Manchester United, seventh in the English Championship, and for the Brazilian team, of which he is the captain. He has been injured in his thigh since the beginning of November and will only play again in 2024.

Bruno Guimarães (26 years old): Remains a starter at Newscastle, sixth in the English Championship, and has been the preferred name to form, with Casemiro, the midfielder duo in the selection.

Fred (30 years old): Traded by Manchester United to Fenerbahce, he is a starter for the Turkish team, which leads the country’s championship. When he played, the team won all 18 matches played. He no longer had a chance in the national team after the World Cup.

Fabinho (30 years old): Traded by Liverpool to Al Itthad. He is the starter for fifth place in the Saudi Championship. He didn’t have any more opportunities in the national team after the World Cup.

Socks

Lucas Paquetá (26 years old): Investigated in England for alleged involvement in sports betting, he was left out of the call-ups for the Brazilian team by Fernando Diniz. He continues to play normally for West Ham, eighth in the English Championship, and is having a good season with the London team.

Éverton Ribeiro (34 years old): Continues at Flamengo, which finished the Brazilian Championship in fourth place. He was no longer part of the team after the World Cup.

Attackers

Neymar (31 years old): Left PSG and decided to venture into Saudi Arabia, at Al Hilal, which leads the local championship. He suffered a serious knee injury in the Brazilian team’s game against Uruguay, in October, and will be out of football until mid-2024.

The World Is a Ball: The national team still needs Neymar, and vice versa

Richarlison (26 years old): Still at Tottenham, fifth in the English Championship. He went through a bad phase, with a drought in scoring, which left him in the London club’s reserves and resulted in his exclusion from the most recent selection list. He found his way back to goal this month.

Raphinha (27 years old): Still at Barcelona, ​​third in the Spanish Championship, and is a starter. The same in the Brazilian team.

Vinicius Junior (23 years old): Remains at Real Madrid, runner-up in the Spanish Championship, and is a starter. The same in the Brazilian team. He injured his thigh last month, in a qualifier against Colombia, and has been out of action since then. The expected return date is February.

Rodrygo (22 years old): Still a starter at Real Madrid. He has also been a member of the Brazilian national team.

Antony (23 years old): He is a starter for Manchester United, seventh in the English Championship. He was called up by Fernando Diniz in August, but was discarded after the case of the athlete’s alleged assault on an ex-girlfriend broke out in England.

Gabriel Jesus (26 years old): Remains a starter for Arsenal, leaders of the English Championship, and was with Diniz’s team in the most recent games.

Pedro (26 years old): Flamengo starter, fourth place in this year’s Brazilian Championship. He had no chance in Diniz’s selection.

Gabriel Martinelli (22 years old): Continues as a starter for Arsenal, leaders of the English Championship, and gained space in the team due to Vini Jr’s injury.

Technician

Tite (62 years old): He moved away from football after the fall in the World Cup, returning in the final stretch of the Brazilian Championship, after an agreement with Flamengo.

The World Is a Ball: ‘I won like nobody else wins’, Tite can say in his favor

It can be seen that, of the 26 called up by Tite for the World Cup in the Middle East, the attackers remain prestigious – some more, others less. Only one of them (Pedro) has been completely missing from the team since the World Cup.

And it is noted that eight athletes, from the middle to the back, seem definitely off the radar: Weverton, Daniel Alves, Thiago Silva, Alex Sandro, Alex Telles, Fred, Fabinho and Éverton Ribeiro. All are 30 years or older.

The team that played against Argentina, in Brazil’s most recent match, was: Alisson; Emerson Royal, Marquinhos (Nino), Gabriel Magalhães (Joelinton) and Carlos Augusto; André and Bruno Guimarães (Douglas Luiz); Raphinha (Endrick), Gabriel Jesus, Rodrygo and Gabriel Martinelli (Raphael Veiga).

In this lineup, seven of those called up for Qatar played (and as starters): Alisson, Marquinhos, Bruno Guimarães, Raphinha, Gabriel Jesus, Rodrygo and Martinelli.

Which shows that on paper, at least so far, there haven’t been any significant changes in relation to that team.