DBasia.news – The Brazilian national team, already five-time world champions, have announced the 26 names in the squad that will be brought to the 2022 World Cup which will be held on November 20 in Qatar.
Roberto Firmino is absent in the Brazil squad with a front line that is already packed with quality players. There are nine players who are called by Tite as attackers.
The nine players are Richarlison, Neymar, Raphinha, Antony, Gabriel Jesus, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo Goes, Gabriel Martinelli and Pedro. Tite prefers young players like Martinelli, Rodrygo and Vinicius over Firmino.
It is alleged that Liverpool’s erratic performance this season was the reason Tite did not call Firmino. In addition to Firmino, another surprise from Tite was the call-up of 39-year-old Dani Alves, who currently plays for Mexican club UNAM.
With 124 caps and 8 goals with the Brazilian national team, its not strange for Tite to call up Alves. But now Alves is not the same player as he was in the past, especially in his prime, and that raises questions. Tite has the answer.
“He (Alves) added an impressive technical and tactical aspect, being an organiser, an articulator. Of course he is no longer a 60 to 70 meters player, but he has other advantages. That criterion pays tribute to his technical qualities, but also the mental aspect and physically,” explained Tite as quoted by Goal.
Even Alves is currently recovering from a knee injury with UNAM, although Fabio Mahseredjian as the Brazilian national team doctor believes Alves can recover on time.
“We have followed his recovery process closely and all the data we have from the Barcelona doctor, shows that he is fit to play,” Mahseredjian said.
Alves’ experience is an important value for Brazil and he can liven up the atmosphere in the locker room. The Barcelona legend is one of the players aged 30 or older who Tite has called up to the Brazil squad.
Besides Alves there are Alisson (30), Weverton (34), Danilo (31), Alex Sandro (31), Casemiro (30), Everton Ribeiro (33) and Neymar (30). Brazil are in Group G of the 2022 World Cup with Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon.