One surprise omission from Brazil’s squad for this summer’s World Cup is Chelsea forward Joao Pedro.
Pedro was recently named Chelsea Player of the Season after a terrific campaign at Stamford Bridge, but his form was still not enough to earn him a place in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad.
Understandably, the striker had been looking forward to the World Cup, even speaking about it all the way back in September.
What do you make of Carlo Ancelotti leaving Joao Pedro out of his World Cup squad?🤔
Andrey Santos as well!
Chelsea duo Andrey Santos and Joao Pedro snubbed from Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad
Via – @FabrizioRomano
Fresh from winning the club edition of the World Cup with Chelsea, the Club World Cup, Pedro told FIFA’s official website: “My biggest dream is to win a World Cup with the national team. I’ve already fulfilled that dream with my club, Chelsea, but now I want to do it for my country.
“It would be such an honour and it would not only make me so proud, but also my family, who are always by my side.”
Joao Pedro after scoring for Chelsea against Paris Saint-Germain in the 2025 Club World Cup final.
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Unless someone has to pull out of the Brazil squad because of injury, Pedro will have to wait until 2030 to play at the next World Cup.
It is such a long time, so it is no surprise that Pedro is disappointed, though he is not the only Brazilian Ancelotti has excluded.
Estevao Willian has also missed out because of injury, while Andrey Santos simply did not make the cut.
However, Santos has responded well after scoring against Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday, which was his first-ever Premier League goal.
After that Tottenham performance, does Andrey Santos make a Xabi Alonso first XI?🤔
Andrey Santos' wife's text to him
Photo by Carl Recine – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Chelsea form wasn’t enough to convince Carlo Ancelotti
In the end, it was probably not Pedro’s Chelsea form that cost him. After all, the 24-year-old has scored 20 goals in all competitions this season.
At last year’s Club World Cup, he also scored three times for the Blues as he went on to help them win the competition.
Rather, it is his performances for Brazil that Ancelotti has probably looked at. Pedro has won eight caps for his country but is yet to find the back of the net in his nation’s famous shirt.
At least he will get to rest this summer, which is good news for Chelsea and their new manager Xabi Alonso. The former Brighton & Hove Albion man will be fresh for the 2026/27 campaign.
Hopefully he can help Chelsea make a positive start after such a miserable season this year.
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