Brazil\u2019s soccer federation (CBF) expressed regret at \u201cbeloved\u201d Wesley\u2019s enforced withdrawal.<\/p>\n
How Much Will \u00c9derson Play at the World Cup?![\"\u00c9derson](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/01kthhctpd3hrj000cbe.jpg\" "\\"\u00c9derson")
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\u00c9derson is coming off a season with Atalanta. | Fabrizio Carabelli\/SOPA Images\/LightRocket\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Despite experimenting with different players in other parts of the team, Ancelotti was consistent in Brazil\u2019s two warmup friendlies against Panama and Egypt this past week by pairing Casemiro and Bruno Guimar\u00e3es in central midfield for both matches.<\/p>\n
The outgoing Manchester United veteran and the box-to-box Newcastle United captain are therefore most likely to start Brazil\u2019s opening group match against Morocco on June 13.<\/p>\n
\u00c9derson\u2019s late arrival suggests that he begins the World Cup bottom of the depth chart. But with former Liverpool No. 6 Fabinho the natural backup to Casemiro, the imminent Manchester United signing<\/a> probably finds himself in competition with Danilo to be the primary understudy to Guimar\u00e3es.<\/p>\n Depending on how things unfold, Brazil <\/a>might have secured a knockout berth after the opening two matches against Morocco and Haiti, meaning there could be opportunity for rotation before facing Scotland on matchday three of the group stage.<\/p>\n Kobbie Mainoo, Kl\u00e9berson History Provides Inspiration Kl\u00e9berson (L) became a World Cup hero. | Richard Sellers\/Sportsphoto\/Allstar\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Just because a player doesn\u2019t start the World Cup in the lineup doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s impossible to break into the team during the tournament.<\/p>\n Kobbie Mainoo, at the time just a few months on from his club breakthrough, managed exactly that for England at Euro 2024. Manager Gareth Southgate had wanted to make natural right back Trent Alexander-Arnold his starting deep-lying playmaker but the experiment failed and the door was flung wide open for Mainoo, who was instrumental in England improving as the tournament progressed.<\/p>\n Going back more than 20 years to the early part of the 21st century, there\u2019s another example to pique the interest of Manchester United<\/a> fans. In 2002, young Athletico Paranaense midfielder Kl\u00e9berson was barely known outside of Brazil and had just five national team caps prior to the World Cup. He was on the bench for the group stage but became a starter in the quarterfinal against England and kept that place for both the semifinal and final as Brazil claimed a record sixth trophy.<\/p>\n By the end of the World Cup, Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari remarkably admitted that Kl\u00e9berson \u201cwas always the first name on the team list, ahead of players like Ronaldo.\u201d<\/p>\n Sadly, after moving to Old Trafford a year later and suffering a dislocated shoulder within three weeks, he never managed to settle and his career didn\u2019t reach the heights that his 2002 World Cup performances suggested it should.<\/p>\n![\"Kl\u00e9berson,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/01kthhaa9ngpep8jgcfr.jpg\" "\\"Kl\u00e9berson,")
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