Ancelotti Puts Vinicius Jr. on Notice: Only 100% Fit Players Make Brazil’s World Cup Squad

Brazil National Team coach Carlo Ancelotti has reiterated his strict selection policy, stating that forward Vinicius Jr. must be fully fit to secure a spot in the squad for the 2026 World Cup.

In an interview with the Brazilian sports program Esporte Record, the Italian coach confirmed his commitment to picking only players who are 100% game-ready. Ancelotti stressed that this standard applies to every player, regardless of their profile. He previously issued a similar warning to forward Neymar in October, emphasizing the need for full fitness to earn a recall.

Ancelotti explained his rationale: "It's not just about Neymar, it could be Vinicius. If Vinicius is at 90%, I will call up another player who is at 100%, because this is a team with a very high level of competitiveness, especially in attack, where we have many excellent players."

Vinicius Jr. played a crucial role earlier this year, scoring the sole goal in June when Brazil beat Paraguay 1-0 to secure their spot in the 2026 World Cup. The tournament is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19 in North America.

Brazil is set to play a warm-up game against France in Boston during the international window between March 23 and 31.