Chelsea forward Estêvão has been excluded from Brazil’s preliminary 55-player roster for the 2026 World Cup, submitted by coach Carlo Ancelotti on Monday. This decision means the young star will not participate in the tournament, even as veteran Neymar was selected for the squad, ESPN’s Pedro Ivo Almeida reports.
Estêvão’s chances of playing in the World Cup had significantly diminished following a muscle injury to his right thigh sustained during Chelsea’s 1-0 Premier League loss to Manchester United on April 18.
Initially, there was hope that the 19-year-old would recover in time for his debut World Cup. However, medical teams from both Brazil and Chelsea could not assure a complete recovery before the tournament. Sources indicated that Estêvão understood his chances were slim, and he appeared downcast when arriving at his former club, Palmeiras, for treatment last week.
FIFA requires national teams to submit their preliminary 55-man lists by May 11, although these lists remain confidential. They serve as the exclusive pool for selecting the final 26-man squads.
Neymar, 34, is set for a major milestone as he aims for a fourth World Cup appearance this summer, having been named among the forwards on the 55-man roster. The all-time top scorer for Brazil with 79 goals had been omitted from all squads since Ancelotti assumed the national team’s coaching role in June.
Before his injury, Estêvão was seen as a likely inclusion in the squad, with Ancelotti expressing admiration for the Chelsea talent. Since joining Chelsea from Palmeiras for £29 million ($38 million) last summer, he has scored eight goals in 36 appearances across all competitions.
Estêvão will join Real Madrid players Éder Militão and Rodrygo as significant players who were anticipated to be selected but will miss the World Cup due to serious injuries.