15/05/2013 15:37
Reuters - World Cup winners Ronaldinho and Kaka were both left out of the Brazil's Confederations Cup squad on Tuesday as coach Luiz Felipe Scolari opted for youth ahead of experience.
Manchester United fullback Rafael and Chelsea midfielder Ramires, who has been a regular for his country over the past years, were also excluded and there was no place for former AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato.
Brazil will use the same squad for the friendlies against England in Rio de Janeiro on June 2 and France in Belo Horizonte one week later. The Brazilians had been expected to take at least one of Kaka and Ronaldinho, who were in the 2002 World Cup winning squad coached by Scolari, to the eight-team competition which they host in June.
"We could lose out in terms of experience but we will make up for that with the enthusiasm which the young players bring," Scolari told a news conference of around 300 reporters at a Rio de Janeiro hotel.
"If a player is not in the squad, it means I have doubts about him. If he is in the squad, it means I don't have any doubts," he added.
The biggest surprise was the inclusion of 20-year-old Atletico Mineiro striker Bernard, who has only one cap. Brazil faces Japan, Italy and Mexico in their group.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Queens Park Rangers), Diego Cavalieri (Fluminense), Jefferson (Botafogo)
Defenders: Rever (Atletico Mineiro), Thiago Silva (Paris St Germain), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Jean (Fluminense), Marcelo (Real Madrid), David Luiz (Chelsea), Dante (Bayern Munich), Filipe Luis (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielders: Paulinho (Corinthians), Luiz Gustavo (Bayern Munich), Fernando (Gremio), Hernanes (Lazio), Oscar (Chelsea), Lucas (Paris St Germain)Forwards: Hulk (Zenit St Petersburg), Bernard (Atletico Mineiro), Leandro Damiao (Internacional), Fred (Fluminense), Neymar (Santos), Jadson (Sao Paulo)
