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Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil Dealt Unfortunate News on Saturday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio G Losada | Last updated Mar 21, 2026 11:03 AM ET

Brazil is entering the final stretch ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and only has two more games to evaluate who's in and who's out before a final call on the tournament roster is made by the end of May.

Head coach Carlo Ancelotti and the national team are set to face France and Croatia in their next two friendlies, scheduled for Mar. 26 and 31, with those matchups being the final opportunities for players to secure their place in Ancelotti's 26-man squad.

Although Brazil has a final warm-up friendly against Egypt scheduled for June 6, FIFA has set a roster-submission deadline on May 30.

On Saturday, the five-time world champions were dealt an unexpected setback involving one of their most experienced players.

Brazil's Italian head coach Carlo Ancelotti gestures during the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualifiers football match between Brazil and Paraguay.Getty Images - NELSON ALMEIDA/AFP

Veteran goalkeeper Alisson Becker revealed in a story published on his Instagram account that he will be sidelined for an extended period.

“Unfortunately, I’ll be out of action for a while,” Alisson wrote. “Already working hard to be back stronger! Thank you for the support.”

The injury forced Alisson to withdraw from Brazil’s squad for the next two friendlies, despite initially being included in it by Ancelotti.

: Alisson Becker has announced that he has suffered a new injury:

"Unfortunately I'll be out of action for a while. Already working hard to be back stronger! Thank you for the support!" pic.twitter.com/kNreQvHk4G
— ballontheline (@ballontheline) March 21, 2026

The Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed on Friday that Corinthians goalkeeper Hugo Souza will be Alisson's replacement for the upcoming games.

The 33-year-old has dealt with multiple injuries this season and had already missed time earlier in the campaign. While the exact nature of his latest injury has not been revealed, the timeline shared by the player suggests he will not be available in the near future.

Brazil will open its World Cup campaign on June 13 against Morocco in the first game of Group C.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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