Brazilian coach Fernando Diniz has called up winger David Neres from Benfica after the injured Raphinha (Barcelona) left the squad for the next matches in the 2026 World Cup qualifying phase against Venezuela and Uruguay, the Brazilian announced on Monday. Football Association (CBF).
The Reds player returns to the field for the first time since September 11, 2019, when he started the defeat against Peru (0-1), in a friendly match played in Los Angeles, America.
Before this friendly match, the former winger of São Paulo, Ajax and Shakhtar Donetsk was part of the group that won the 2019 Copa América, in which the Brazilian team became champions by beating Peru (3-1) in the Maracanã. In total, Neres has seven international matches for Canarinha.
The 26-minute player was used in all of Benfica’s matches in the I Liga, having started two games and scoring three assists and one goal. At the same time, he was used as a substitute in the defeat against Austrian side Salzburg, in a match that counted for the second round of the group stage of the Champions League.
Neres’ call-up comes after Raphinha suffered an injury to the biceps femoris of his right thigh on Friday after being substituted in the first half of Barcelona’s 1-0 victory over Sevilla.
Raphinha’s absence is the second on Diniz’s list of 23, after the injury of Monaco left-back Caio Henrique.
Brazil hosts Venezuela on October 12 in Cuiabá and visits Uruguay in Montevideo five days later.
Source: DN
