Thiago and Rayan receive first Brazil call-ups

London — Brentford striker Igor Thiago and Bournemouth winger Rayan have been handed maiden Brazil call-ups ahead of the Seleção’s friendlies against France and Croatia in the United States later this month.

Thiago, 24, has been one of the Premier League’s standout performers this term, scoring 19 goals to sit second in the golden-boot race behind Manchester City’s Erling Haaland. The Belgian-import’s prolific form has propelled Brentford to seventh in the table and now earns him a place in Carlo Ancelotti’s 26-man squad for the matches in Boston (26 March) and Orlando (31 March).

The forward’s rise is all the more remarkable given an injury-plagued first season in West London that limited him to eight goalless appearances after a club-record £30 million move from Club Brugge in July 2024.

“Really proud of what he’s done to get to this point,” Brentford head coach Keith Andrews said after Monday’s 2-2 draw with Wolves, in which Thiago scored. “When he pulls on that iconic jersey it will be a special moment for Thiago and his family.”

Joining him among the debutants is 19-year-old Rayan, who swapped Vasco de Gama for Bournemouth in January in a £24.7 million deal and has already notched two Premier League goals for the Cherries.

Former Norwich attacker Gabriel Sara, 26, now of Galatasaray, is also rewarded with a first senior selection after helping the Turkish giants to the Super League title. Flamengo centre-back Leo Pereira, 30, completes the quartet of uncapped players.

The squad will be Brazil’s final gathering before Ancelotti names his contingent for the upcoming World Cup, where the five-time champions open their Group C campaign against Morocco in New Jersey on 13 June before facing Haiti and Scotland.

Notable absentee is veteran forward Neymar, 34, who has not appeared for his country since October 2023. “He’s not 100 per cent,” Ancelotti explained. “But for the final squad, that’s another story.”

Teenage striker Endrick has been recalled after a year away from the national set-up. The 19-year-old, on loan at Lyon from Real Madrid, marked his second appearance for the French club with a hat-trick against Metz.

Brazil squad: Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Bento (Al-Nassr), Ederson (Fenerbahçe) Defenders: Alex Sandro (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Danilo (Flamengo), Douglas Santos (Zenit), Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal), Ibanez (Al-Ahli), Leo Pereira (Flamengo), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), Wesley (Roma) Midfielders: Andrey Santos (Chelsea), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al-Ittihad), Gabriel Sara (Galatasaray) Forwards: Endrick (Lyon), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), João Pedro (Chelsea), Luiz Henrique (Zenit), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rayan (Bournemouth), Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)