Brazil unveils WC squad with no Ronaldinho, Kaka

BRASILIA: Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari announced the 23-player squad for the upcoming mega event FIFA World Cup 2014, ARY News has learnt.

The host of 2014 World Cup, who had won five the World Cup five times before, is one of the favorites to win a title. 

The player list announced for the 2014 edition of FIFA World Cup includes 16 players from the last years Confederations Cup winning squad, which defeated the world and European champions Spain beating them by 3 goals in Rio De Janeiro.

The announced list includes mix talented young stars such as Neymar and Oscar with more experienced players such as Dani Alves, David Luiz, Thiago Silva and Hulk. However past star footballers such as Ronaldinho, Kaka and Robinho were left off the squad as expected.

Kaka and Robinho – the stars in the 2010 World Cup – still had hopes of playing in the tournament at home but were left off the list, as were former AC Milan forward Alexandre Pato and 34-year-old Ronaldinho, the 2002 world champion who missed out on his chance of making it to one last World Cup.

Brazil will begin their World Cup journey this year against Croatia on June 12 in Sao Paulo.

Brazil is in Group A with Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon. 

The squad of Brazil is as follows,

BRAZIL SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Toronto FC), Jefferson (Botafogo), Victor (Atletico Mineiro)

Defenders: David Luiz (Chelsea), Dante (Bayern Munich), Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain), Henrique (Napoli), Maicon (Roma), Dani Alves (Barcelona), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Maxwell (Paris Saint-Germain)

Midfielders: Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Paulinho (Tottenham), Fernandinho (Manchester City), Ramires (Chelsea), Oscar (Chelsea), Willian (Chelsea), Hernanes (Inter Milan)

Strikers: Hulk (Zenit St. Petersburg), Bernard (Shakhtar Donetsk), Neymar (Barcelona), Jo (Atletico Mineiro), Fred (Fluminense)