Carlo Ancelotti is keeping busy — and not just with club duties. The former Real Madrid boss has officially named his first squad as Brazil head coach, and Madridistas will have two very familiar names to keep an eye on: Vinícius Jr and Endrick have both received call-ups to the Seleção.
What Happened
The Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed the squad on Wednesday, with Ancelotti selecting both Vinícius Jr and Endrick from Real Madrid’s first-team ranks. Barcelona’s Raphinha also makes the cut, keeping his place among Brazil’s elite attackers despite the competition for places. The squad will be put to work across a trio of upcoming friendly fixtures — two matches against Australia followed by a clash with India in early October.
According to reports, this international window represents the start of a significant rebuilding process for Brazil. The Seleção endured a difficult summer World Cup campaign, and Ancelotti is now tasked with reshaping the side with a long-term view toward the 2030 World Cup. These friendlies mark the very first step in that new cycle.
What It Means for Real Madrid
For Real Madrid supporters, the call-ups are a double-edged sword — as they almost always are with international breaks. On one hand, seeing Vini Jr and Endrick representing Brazil under a manager who knows them both intimately from his time at the Bernabéu is genuinely exciting. Ancelotti spent years working with Vinícius, watching him transform from a raw teenager into one of the most feared attackers on the planet. That relationship and mutual trust could be a significant asset for the forward at international level.
Endrick’s inclusion is also worth noting. The young striker has had to be patient for his opportunities at club level given the firepower available at Real Madrid, but international football has offered him a stage to shine and stake his claim. Minutes under Ancelotti at international level could do wonders for his confidence heading back into the club season.
The less glamorous side of international call-ups, of course, is the anxiety that comes with it for club fans. Long-haul travel to South America and beyond, the risk of fatigue or injury, and the disruption to club rhythm are all legitimate concerns. Real Madrid will be hoping both players return in full health and ready to contribute at the Bernabéu.
There’s also something slightly surreal about the situation from a broader football perspective. Ancelotti — who led Real Madrid to Champions League glory and La Liga titles — is now the man calling upon Los Blancos’ stars for international duty rather than managing them week to week. For Madridistas who lived through those trophy-laden years under the Italian, seeing his name attached to Brazil squad announcements is a strange but fascinating twist.
What’s Next
With the international break now upon us, Real Madrid fans can follow Vini Jr and Endrick’s progress in a Brazil shirt over the coming weeks before attention snaps back to domestic and European competition. How both players perform for the Seleção — particularly under the watchful eye of Ancelotti, who knows their games inside out — will be worth monitoring closely.
Brazil’s fixtures against Australia and India are relatively low-risk on paper, which should at least ease some of the injury-related nerves. The priority for Ancelotti will be experimenting with combinations and building cohesion as he looks to put his stamp on the national team. Whether Vini Jr slots into the same free-roaming, left-sided role that made him so devastating at club level, and whether Endrick gets a genuine run of minutes to impress, will be among the storylines to watch.
For now, the Bernabéu faithful send two of their own off on international duty. Come back safe, lads.
Dembélé picks Mbappé in his Ballon d'Or top three for 2026 · More Match Analysis news
For official club updates, visit Real Madrid’s official website.
Leave a Reply