Luis Felipe Scolari has included six Premier League stars in his Brazil squad for this summer’s World Cup, but there was no room for Liverpool pair, Lucas Leiva and Philippe Coutinho.
Scolari sprung few surprises in his announcement in front of almost 900 reporters at a packed auditorium in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday, ignoring a late recall for the likes of Kaka or Robinho and the in-form Atletico Madrid defensive duo of Miranda and Filipe Luis and PSG’s Lucas Moura.
Brazil’s 23-man squad for the world cup:
Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Toronto FC, on loan from QPR), Jefferson (Botafogo), Victor (Atletico Mineiro)
Defenders: Dani Alves (Barcelona), Maicon (Roma), David Luiz (Chelsea), Thiago Silva (PSG), Dante (Bayern Munich), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Henrique (Napoli), Maxwell (PSG).
Midfield: Oscar (Chelsea), Fernandinho (Man City), Willian (Chelsea), Paulinho (Spurs), Ramires (Chelsea), Luis Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Hernanes (Inter Milan).
Attackers: Bernard (Shakhtar Donetsk), Neymar (Barcelona), Fred (Fluminense), Hulk (Zenit St Petersburg), Jo (Atletico Mineiro).
The omission of Leiva and Coutinho completes a nightmare week for the Reds pair after they were involved in Liverpool’s stunning collapse to Crystal Palace on Monday night.
It is Manchester City’s Fernandinho who has beaten Lucas, just back from a long-term injury, to the third defensive midfield position in the panel.
Scolari, who ironically endured a horror spell at Stamford Bridge, has called upon a Chelsea core of four in the shape of David Luiz, Oscar, Willian and Ramires.
Spurs’ out-of-form midfielder Paulinho is also included with QPR goalkeeper, Julio Cesar, currently on loan at Toronto FC in the MLS, completing the English contingent.
Spurs’ middle man, Sandro, was another omission.
Neymar, currently injured and unlikely to play again until warm-up matches in early June, will lead the line alongside Hulk and the domestic duo of Fred and Manchester City misfit Jo.
The hosts kick off the tournament in just 36 days time when they face Croatia in São Paulo before further group games against Mexico and Cameroon.
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