Éderson joins Brazil World Cup squad as replacement for injured Wesley
The coach of the Brazilian national Carlo Ancelotti has handed a late call up to combative Atalanta midfielder Éderson to replace Wesley at the 2026 World Cup for the Selecao.
Éderson who was considered going on a holiday after initially not making the World Cup list for Brazil will now join the national team ahead of the World Cup taking place in Mexico, USA and Canada.
22-year-old Wesley who plies his trade as a defender for AS Roma sustained an injury to his adductor muscle during Brazil’s 2-1 pre-tournament friendly victory against Egypt in Cleveland.
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He was forced to leave the pitch in tears after just 15 minutes of play. A subsequent MRI scan confirmed that the damage is severe enough to prevent him from recovering before or during the tournament.
His spot in the Brazilian national team has now been handed over to Éderson who has already agreed to move to Manchester United from Atalanta since May with reports saying the transfer should be completed in early July before United’s return to pre-season training begins.
Because Éderson is a central midfielder and not a natural full-back, Brazil will travel to the tournament with Danilo as their only specialist right-back, forcing Ancelotti to rely on versatile defenders like Ibañez to cover the flank if needed.
