enjoy igor thiago buddy, first semi decent big team you face in knockouts will kick your ass out
๐ง๐ท | I think thereโs a real misunderstanding of Joรฃo Pedroโs situation for Brazil and Ancelottiโs reasoning for leaving him out of the squad.
Some important context to help explain the decision:
Between June 6, 2025 and April 1, 2026, Ancelotti tested SEVEN different No. 9s across nine matches:
โข Matheus Cunha | 397 minutes
โข Richarlison | 174 minutes
โข Joรฃo Pedro | 153 minutes
โข Vitor Roque | 45 minutes
โข Kaio Jorge | 19 minutes
โข Igor Thiago | 19 minutes
โข Igor Jesus | 10 minutes
A combined 817 minutes without a SINGLE GOAL from any of them. Brazil had a serious goalscoring problem.
Ancelotti used his multiple opportunities to work with these players up close in training camps, calling them into several squads:
โข Matheus Cunha | 4 call-ups
โข Richarlison | 4 call-ups
โข Joรฃo Pedro | 3 call-ups
โข Kaio Jorge | 1 call-up
โข Igor Jesus | 1 call-up
โข Vitor Roque | 1 call-up
โข Igor Thiago | 1 call-up
โข Endrick | 1 call-up
Out of all the options, Matheus Cunha was the one striker who genuinely impressed Ancelotti. His work rate, pressing, energy, selflessness, and ability to balance the front four made him a key piece in the 4-2-4 system Brazil were using at the time. But they still lacked that killer instinct.
Then came Brazilโs final match before Ancelotti announced his World Cup squad: the game against Croatia.
With Brazil struggling, Igor Thiago (23 minutes) and Endrick (14 minutes) came off the bench and changed the game. Igor Thiago scored from the penalty spot, while Endrick won the penalty and provided an assist.
At the same time, Joรฃo Pedro had another difficult game, a constant under Ancelotti. He struggled to make an impact, missed a big chance, and was eventually replaced by Igor Thiago himself.
That last 25 minutes proved decisive.
By the end of the Croatia game, Joรฃo Pedro had played the second most minutes under Ancelotti as a no.9 (only behind Matheus Cunha), but had convinced him the least.
At the very last moment, Ancelotti changed his mind. The performances of Endrick and Igor Thiago against Croatia tipped the balance.
So between the 4 choices and 3 number 9โs he was going to take.
He left Joรฃo Pedro at home.