This is an issue worth pondering. In previous World Cup qualifying campaigns, Brazil had to go through the play-off round to qualify. With the increase to 48, they easily qualify, but there is still a lot of work ahead and not much time.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti only has friendly matches in October, November and March before announcing the official lineup. The appearance of the Italian captain has significantly strengthened the Brazilian defense. They have only conceded 1 goal from a penalty confirmed by VAR in their last 4 matches.
Consolidating the attack will be a top priority for Ancelotti. He is looking to solve a surprising problem, but the important thing is who will take on the central striker position for Brazil?
This is the country of Leonidas and Ademir de Menezes, the players who scored the most goals at the World Cup 1938 and 22. Among the World Cup winning squads that followed, Brazil also had Vava, Tostao, Romario and Ronaldo - a famous scoring tradition.
However, with the number of wingers outperforming the ability to produce a central striker, finding a classy striker in this position becomes a challenge. At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Gabriel Jesus seemed to be secure, but a disappointing tournament with a series of injuries cost him confidence and kept him out.
Now, the " closet" for Selecao's central striker position is no longer empty. The competition will take place in the next few months, mostly in the Premier League.
Richarlison, Brazil's striker at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, continues to be a strong candidate. He has two advantages. First, Ancelotti was a big fan after working with him at Everton. And the Brazilian striker is also reeling after his best pre-season in many years.
Previously, being eliminated from Copa America and the 2021 Olympics and the tight schedule caused Richarlison to suffer many minor injuries in the past few years.
However, Richarlison is not the only candidate. Joao Pedro, who impressed at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, is also a choice worth considering. He came off the bench and showed diverse skills, coordinating flexible attacks.
While Richarlison was the striker who pointed towards the goal, Joao Pedro stood out for his ability to participate in building the game. This was clearly demonstrated in the match against Chile last week.
Matheus Cunha was supposed to be in the squad for the match against Chile, but he was injured. However, the Manchester United player's chances may not be over yet.
As the star of the U23 team that won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, Cunha was unlucky to miss the most recent World Cup. The move to Old Trafford could be a turning point, making Cunha stand out. With the ability to play as a striker or right behind a striker, he can completely compete directly with Joao Pedro.
Bournemouth's Evanilson is another potential candidate, but the name that Ancelotti cares most about is Igor Jesus, a rookie of Nottingham Forest. On the first day in Brazil, Ancelotti was present at the stadium to witness Igor Jesus' excellent performance, helping Botafogo stay at Copa Libertador.
In a match that had to be won, when a player was sent off early, Igor Jesus carried the whole team. He also showed similar form when Botafogo beat Paris Saint-Germain at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
As an independent but dynamic striker, especially in defense, Igor Jesus is the model that Ancelotti is eager for. However, the question is whether he will have enough playing time in his first season at Forest.
In general, Ancelotti does not lack options for the center forward position. However, the time to carefully evaluate the candidates is very limited.
Each player will have to make the most of every opportunity. This means that every Premier League match will be an opportunity for them to compete for a starting position in attack against Brazil at the 2026 World Cup.
