Author: Soorya G
The Brazilian national team is preparing for the upcoming clash with Uruguay in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, and some changes are expected in the starting line-up. After the draw with Venezuela, where Richarlison was criticized and struggled to score, it seems that coach Fernando Diniz is making some changes to the squad. Guilherme Arena and Richarlison, who were in the starting line-up against Venezuela, trained with the reserves, suggesting a possible change in the line-up.
With this change in the line-up, Carlos Augusto and Gabriel Jesus came on in place of Guilherme Arena and Richarlison in the training session held at the Peñarol Stadium in Montevideo. Another expected change is that of Yan Couto, who replaced the injured Danilo in the match against Venezuela and is now expected to retain his position as starting right-back for the upcoming game against Uruguay. The rest of the team seems to remain consistent, with no major changes expected for Tuesday’s clash.
Richarlison, who has been experiencing a goal drought while playing for the national team, faced substantial criticism after the draw with Venezuela. On the other hand, Gabriel Jesus and Carlos Augusto look ready to make an impact. The match against Venezuela marked the first time Brazil failed to win under coach Fernando Diniz. That draw saw Brazil concede first place in qualifying to Argentina, the only team with a perfect record.
Notably, Neymar faced scrutiny for his animated disputes with the match officials, which seemed to put him out of sync with Vinícius Júnior, another Brazilian star who had a subdued performance on the pitch against Brazil.
The inaugural World Cup winners will be led by former Atheltic Bilbao coach Marcelo Bielsa, known for his excellent attacking soccer. The match is scheduled for the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo on Tuesday. Playing in the fourth round of CONMEBOL qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, both teams will be eager to pick up points early on. The Brazilian team will be desperate to recapture their winning form and secure a crucial victory against a highly competitive side struggling to return to the top levels of South American soccer.
In addition to the qualifying matches, attention is also turning to Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, who is believed to have reached an agreement to take charge of the national team from 2024. The Italian coach has not commented on the matter, but speculation has increased recently and it is expected that an official statement on the matter will be released in the coming months. Technically, Ancelotti will have no commitment to Real Madrid from January and will be able to negotiate a pre-contract.