Defender Marquinhos and striker Neymar join the Brazilian team for the South American Qualifiers
The players Marquinhos (centre-back) and Neymar (forward) presented themselves to the Brazilian national team on Tuesday (10) in Cuiabá, completing the group of 23 called up by coach Fernando Diniz for the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. The team's first match will be on Thursday (12) against Uruguay at the Arena Pantanal in Cuiabá.
Players' expectations
In his first training session with all the players, Marquinhos expressed his excitement at being part of the national team again and spoke about the importance of adapting quickly and achieving good results in the qualifiers. Neymar, for his part, also showed enthusiasm for the challenges ahead.
Current qualification standings
Brazil leads the overall Qualifying standings with six points, followed by Argentina in second place and Colombia in third. With the increase in the number of teams taking part in the next World Cup, six direct places will be offered, as well as a possible place in the play-offs.
Qualifying format and schedule
Ten countries take part in the competition: Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Matches are played back-to-back, totalling 18 matches for each team. The final round is scheduled for 9 September 2025.
