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Kaka, Oscar out of Brazil’s final Copa America roster

Kaka-OCSC-Getty

Brazil’s final roster for this summer’s Copa America Centenario does not have the name power many thought it would.

Star names, including Barcelona playmaker Neymar, Orlando City SC attacker Kaka, and Chelsea midfielder Oscar, were not included on head coach Dunga’s final 23-man roster announced on Thursday. Notable inclusions include Bayern Munich midfielder Douglas Costa, Chelsea midfielder Willian and Zenit winger Hulk.

In mid-April, Barcelona announced Neymar would miss this summer’s competition in the U.S. in order to be called into the squad that will compete for the gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil will play Ecaudor at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, before facing Haiti at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida, on June 8. Ending group play, Brazil will play Peru at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on June 12.

Here is Brazil’s roster:

What do you think of Brazil’s roster? How do you think Dunga’s team will fare at the Copa America?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Old School, I’m not ignoring any faults. The comment you made about Donovan saying he can’t train like before was the only true thing you said. I’m saying faults and all he was still a much better option than all of Wondo, Green, Davis, Zusi, Bedoya and Diskerud. Amazingly Klinsmann didn’t see him as better than any one of those players. I know you disagree.

    Johnnyrazor, you are correct that “Belgium was far and away the better team as was Germany” and perhaps you might be correct that “it wouldn’t have made a difference”; But if we take your attitude then it was and is pointless to discuss anything relating to the United States’ World Cup because they never had a realistic chance at winning it. Also, I wasn’t trying to rehash the issue with my post, but Old School wanted to take it there.

    Reply
    • Also, I wasn’t trying to rehash the issue with my post, but Old School wanted to take it there.

      …you brought up the topic. You’re aware of this, correct? I’m sorry, but I genuinely think there’s something wrong with you. Legit, one of the most dellusional posters on SBI.

      If only there was an ignore button to prevent me from compulsively responding to the idiocy.

      Reply
      • Funny you think I am delusional when you clearly are the delusional one. Next time focus on the subject at hand. My comment was clearly about Brazil, Dunga, Marcelo and Silva. It was relevant to the article. I used “Klinsmann-Donovan” as a short-cut to describe some sort of player-coach beef, but Klinsmann and Donovan were not the topic of my post. You responded making it all about Klinsmann and Donovan and rehashing a year old topic. You can’t see that? Too hard for you to comprehend? And I am the delusional one? Yea ok. I wish you would follow me everywhere, you make me feel smarter.

    • Not my meaning, I am just saying two years later unless some new information comes out its pointless to keep having the same debate, no one is going to change their opinion. It was perfectly reasonable in the months after the world cup, I just don’t think its relevant anymore to the USMNT.

      Reply
      • It was perfectly reasonable in the months after the world cup, I just don’t think its relevant anymore to the USMNT.

        It’s not, and yet it was brought up unprovoked and awkwardly attempting to compare apples to oranges…two years later.

        This kid thinks he’s the smartest one in the room each time he posts, yet, provides recycled commentary and nearly separates his shoulder patting himself on the back in the process while failing to read his own posts and accusing others of “rehashing” a topic, he in fact, brought up.

        Following him around, as he requested, is something he quite obviously needs to monitor the insanity as to protect others from being injured from his idiocy and temporary blackouts he endures when posting.

      • while i agree that it’s pointless to argue now (even if old school says it’s not an argument while he argues about it) unless new sh!t has come to light, i think the issue will be relevant as long as klinsmann is manager/td of the team. the “he’s done it before, he’ll do it again” thing.

  2. As some mentioned above, I’ve read Dunga has some “Klinsmann vs Donovan” stuff going on with some Brazil players, most notably Silva and Marcelo. Disappointing for me because David Luiz, Thiago Silva and Marcelo are three of my favorite Brazil players. Dunga likes David Luiz so I am certain he will be on the Olympic roster.

    Either way a very good Brazil squad.

    Reply
    • As some mentioned above, I’ve read Dunga has some “Klinsmann vs Donovan” stuff going on with some Brazil players

      Dunga’s dealing with players that are entitled, not in form, recently returned from a retired vacation, and unwilling to practice admitting it to the media in a lobbying way of creating an “us vs him” mentality?

      If not, I have no idea what “Klinsmann vs Donovan” dynamic you’re talking about unless you’re simply recreating history.

      Reply
      • Typical Old School mentality, assuming that your opinion on something is the factual, absolute truth. Yes we all know how YOU feel about Donovan and about the Klinsmann vs Donovan World Cup situation, but as I’m sure you noticed many fans and soccer pundits disagree with you. I would say the majority do, but I’m sure you will disagree.

        Explain to me what history I am recreating? It is amazing to me the conclusions you reach from me simply writing, “has some ‘Klinsmann vs Donovan’ stuff going on”.

        My comparison was in the most basic of forms, which is that, just like Donovan was more than good enough to be on the team but was left-off because Klinsmann didn’t like something about him, players like Silva and Marcelo are obviously some of the best Brazilian players out there but Dunga doesn’t call them in because he doesn’t like something about them. Now I don’t know what the “something” is that each coach didn’t/doesn’t like about the specific players, and I don’t pretend to know. I do know though that it is not because there are better players ahead of them.

      • One more thing Old School, I have to call you on the “recently returned from a retired vacation” comment you made. You are really stretching the word “recently” there. Remember that Donovan only missed a few weeks of the beginning of the season, then played ball for the Galaxy leading up to the summer 2013 Gold Cup where he balled out for Klinsmann, then there was World Cup qualifiers and another full year before summer 2014 World Cup came along. So about a year and a half later you still count it as “recently returned from a retired vacation”?? C’mon man your bias is really showing there. Hard to take your stance seriously.

      • but was left-off because Klinsmann didn’t like something about him

        …and what do you think that was? Oh, right – let’s recreate history and ignore Donovan’s faults that he openly admitted to press/media.

      • Can we just get past this argument. Donovan was good enough to be on the team, but it wouldn’t have made a difference. Belgium was far and away the better team as was Germany. Second, Klinsman certainly painted himself into a corner with statements he kept making about dedication, fitness, form, and work ethic, but Donovan kept throwing him paint with his actions and statements. Both acted immaturely, but it really made no difference in the end. Instead our lasting memory of LD is him raising the MLS Cup and exiting the stage and not DeBruyne making him look old and minus a step or two. Let’s all move on.

      • Can we just get past this argument.

        That’s the thing. It’s not an argument.

        One side continues to bring it up as if they’re suffering from jilted lover complex. A players ego did not match the players ability and the person in charge decided they weren’t ideal for putting together a team.

        People try to re-write history but Donovan sucked in the build up to the World Cup, missed most of qualification of the World Cup, thought his reputation was enough to make the roster and publicly admitted he wasn’t willing to train as hard as expected (or that his teammates were willing). Only after the rosters were finalized did he get back into form.

        I loved watching Donovan – he’s the GOAT, but he lost the power play and many people can’t get over that. It’s a dead discussion people that’s characterized as an argument but is really an obsession only one side brings up every few weeks.

        Get over it and move on.

      • “A players ego did not match the players ability.” It has much more to do with ego vs. ego (coach vs. player) than it does ego vs. ability. As he showed before and after the World Cup, Donovan was plenty good enough to play a role on that team. oh well. But for you to act like he should not have been there simply because of his form is ridiculous. The few times that the US team has played anything resembling how Klinsmann said he wanted the team to play, it was with Donovan at the wheel (Scotland, Gold Cup, on down to his farewell game). There was clearly something more going on with the decision even if you claim that Davis, Green, and Wondo were in better form.

  3. Dunga purposely doesn’t call in Tiago Silva, David Luiz, Marcello, Adriano (Barca), Oscar, Lucas (PSG), Ganso, and Kaka, and can’t call in Neymar. That’s a pretty good team right there. Probably equal or better than the one he selected.

    Reply
    • There are probably 5 or 6 U23 players that may play both, although probably won’t get a lot of time in the Copa. I think its hard to make a case that any of the players you named except Neymar are better than the guys who will most likely start.

      Reply
  4. In a few, maybe many, cases they are advertising using players names. Only to work out, well they are not playing. Thanks for buying really expensive tickets though.

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    • Because these are exhibition games, it is not a real Copa America. This was never in doubt, BUT, maybe you shouldn’t trust what the marketing agency says.. some of the name players aren’t good enough to make the team at the moment (Oscar, Kaka) and the ones that did are among the best in the world (Casemiro is the world’s best defensive midfielder I think, Douglas Costa perhaps the fastest winger, etc). Thiago Silva is in a fight with the coach and people think David Luiz is maybe being saved for the olympics too, but that’s it for absences.

      Point being the soccer will still be very, very good. That is what people are paying for, one should hope, not the possibility of getting Neymar to take a selfie with you.

      Reply
      • Because these are exhibition games, it is not a real Copa America.

        i.e. not the…World Cup.

  5. Any chance he is called in as one of the over age players for the Olympics, or have those players already been named?

    Reply
    • Usually, teams go with a striker, central defender, and a keeper. You wouldn’t think Brazil would use Neymanr and Kaka, but maybe they’ll just try to outscore everybody.

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      • Kaka as a sentimental pick to captain Brazil at the Olympics in Brazil is a safe bet…

  6. Obviously not their strongest team, but they have enough good players to contend. Coutinho, Hulk, Willian, Diego Costa, Dani Alves are all world class so they will be formidable even without Neymar. I didn’t think much of Willian when Chelsea first signed him because his stats in Russia weren’t that glittering, but he has been one of their best players and in the game vs. Tottenham he was one of the best players on the field.

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    • It’s Douglas Costa and it says so in the article. I’ve made that mistake before, automatically putting Diego and Costa together because i was familiar with Diego before Douglas. And Diego was born in Brazil but chose to play for Spain after getting Spanish citizenship in 2013.

      Reply

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