Brazil completed a 2-1 friendly win over Egypt in Cleveland, yet concern over Roma defender Wesley overshadowed the result for Carlo Ancelotti as the World Cup draws near on June 13.
Wesley, a regular in Ancelotti’s back line, left the pitch holding a groin problem in the 17th minute, and later departed the stadium on crutches with a heavy bandage, leaving serious doubt over availability for the World Cup.
Ancelotti explained that further medical checks are crucial before Brazil understand the full scale of the defender’s issue, while also stressing Wesley’s progress at Roma and importance to the defensive structure that faces immediate World Cup tests.
“He needs to undergo some tests. He has a muscle problem, and we have to wait for the diagnosis [on Sunday], Ancelotti told reporters. I think he’ll have time to recover and be with us at the World Cup. Otherwise, we’ll have to choose another player, and we’ll have time to do so. It’s urgent; it worries us. He’s an important player; he plays at his best, with power. He’s learned a lot about the things he wasn’t so good at, such as attacking and marking, now in Italy. I hope it’s nothing serious, that he gets the necessary treatment, and that he can continue with us on this journey. But I don’t deny that there’s urgency and concern; if it were to be something serious, it would be a shame.”
On the pitch, Brazil finished their World Cup preparation schedule with a narrow victory that featured goals from Bruno Guimaraes, Mostafa Zico and substitute Endrick, offering Ancelotti one final competitive look at options before facing Morocco on June 13.
Guimaraes opened the scoring early before Egypt levelled through Zico, and Endrick then came off the bench and struck in the 52nd minute, showing sharp movement and timing inside the box as Brazil closed out their last friendly before the tournament.
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Across the 90 minutes, Brazil created a steady flow of chances, generating 12 shots worth 1.8 expected goals and hitting the target seven times, as Raphinha, Vinicius Junior, Igor Thiago and Endrick each recorded two attempts and shared attacking responsibility.
Ancelotti used the match to rotate heavily, introducing eight changes at half-time to test depth, yet indicated the starting side for the World Cup opener against Morocco is already fixed in mind after observing the group through the preparation period.
“I have the starting XI for Morocco, yes, he added. I have a clear idea. We were very good for 60 minutes; we pressed high and were strong defensively and offensively. We played well, but we lacked concentration for a five-minute spell in the first half, and we were punished. At a World Cup, you don’t get a second chance to fix those mistakes. But I am not worried; it is better to have these reminders now than next Saturday.”
The match delivered a positive scoreline and several strong spells of pressure for Brazil, yet the sight of Wesley in tears on the bench and later leaving on crutches left Ancelotti balancing satisfaction with clear anxiety heading into the World Cup campaign.
Story first published: Sunday, June 7, 2026, 18:07 [IST]
