Have Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo Been Called Up For the Brazil National Team's October Friendlies?

The Italian has announced his squad for the friendly games in Asia against Japan and South Korea. Real Madrid pair Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo were not called up for the September World Cup qualifiers, but are they in this month's squad?

Real Madrid Trio Called-Up By Brazil National Team

Carlo Ancelotti has indeed called both Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo up for the games, as well as center-back Eder Militao. All three did not feature during the World Cup qualifiers in September against Bolivia and Chile.

Brazil had already qualified for the 2025 World Cup, so the two games were not vital, although they still wanted good results. In the second game against Bolivia, Ancelotti looked to give players who play their trade in Brazil a chance to start the game.

That was one of the reasons why Vini Jr. did not receive a call-up; the legendary coach believed he would benefit from rest rather than traveling to South America for a game that was not significant in the qualifying process. Eder Militao had just returned from injury, having played only a handful of games, so he was also given time to rest.

Rodrygo was a different issue. The 24-year-old was not playing much for Real Madrid, with just a few substitute appearances under Xabi Alonso. Ancelotti commented on the forward, saying he was an important player for his country. However, he also said he wants players in form for their club, which was not the case for Rodrygo.

The Brazilian played the final 20 minutes of the game against FC Kairat and had a good performance. He set up Eduardo Camavinga's first-ever goal in the Champions League after great work from Rodrigo.

The World Cup is next season, and with a vast amount of players to choose from for Brazil, Rodrygo will hope to stay in contention. To do that, he must keep his playing time and form in a good place during this season. If that happens, there is no doubt he will get the call-up.