Football
ESPN staff 8y

David Luiz, Thiago Silva not in Brazil's preliminary Copa America squad

Paris Saint-Germain centre-backs David Luiz and Thiago Silva have been left off the 40-man preliminary roster for Brazil's Copa America Centenario campaign in the United States this summer.

The national team announced the list of players in the running for a spot on coach Dunga's final 23-person roster -- to be revealed May 5 -- for the tournament on Friday afternoon, with the omissions of the PSG duo and Real Madrid's Marcelo most notable.

The former Chelsea man had been a favourite call-up of Dunga's since he retook the Selecao job following Brazil's disastrous 2014 World Cup campaign on home soil. But has seen his status fall due to disappointing performances in recent World Cup qualifiers.

Left-back Marcelo and Silva have not been favourites of Dunga's, and their strained relationship with the manager has seen them left out of the no-nonsense former 1994 World Cup winner's plans once again.

Brazil captain Neymar, who will participate only in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this summer, was also not included.

With the well-known veterans absent, a number of young domestic stars yet to earn their first senior caps stood out: Attacking players Gabriel "Gabigol" Barbosa of Santos, Gabriel Jesus of Palmeiras, Luan of Gremio, as well as Atletico Mineiro left-back Douglas Santos, and midfielders Walace of Gremio and Sao Paulo's Rodrigo Caio.

China-based stars Gil, Renato Augusto and Alex Teixeira -- who spurned Chelsea, among others, for a €50 million move to Jiangsu Suning over the winter -- also were named.

Here's the full 40-player list:

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Internacional), Diego Alves (Valencia), Ederson (Benfica), Marcelo Grohe (Gremio)

Defenders: Dani Alves (Barcelona), Rodrigo Caio (Sao Paulo), Fabinho (Monaco), Fagner (Corinthians), Gil (Shandong Luneng), Jemerson (Monaco), Filipe Luis (Atletico Madrid), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), Miranda (Inter), Gabriel Paulista (Arsenal), Alex Sandro (Juventus), Douglas Santos (Atletico Mineiro)

Midfielders: Rafinha Alcantara (Barcelona), Felipe Anderson (Lazio), Renato Augusto (Beijing Guoan), Casemiro (Real Madrid), Douglas Costa (Bayern Munich), Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Elias (Corinthians), Fernandinho (Manchester City), Paulo Henrique Ganso (Sao Paulo), Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Kaka (Orlando City), Lucas Lima (Santos), Lucas Moura (Paris Saint-Germain), Oscar (Chelsea), Walace (Gremio), Willian (Chelsea)

Forwards: Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Gabriel (Santos), Hulk (Zenit), Gabriel Jesus (Palmeiras), Jonas (Benfica), Luan (Gremio), Ricardo Oliveira (Santos), Alex Teixeira (Jiangsu Suning)

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