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Vinicius Junior and other foreign-based Brazilian stars have come in for heavy criticism by the country's president
Brazilian President Lula da Silva has stirred up a bold debate, suggesting that players like Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior should make way for more home-based talent in the national team.
With Vinicius currently sidelined due to injury, Lula has voiced his opinion on prioritising players who play in Brazil over those starring in Europe, sparking fresh discussions around Brazil’s squad selection.
Lula's call for homegrown talent
The Brazilian president’s comments come at a time when Brazil is gearing up for its second FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifier of the current international break against Peru.
In their latest fixture, a 2-1 win over Chile, two home-based players; Luiz Henrique and Igor Jesus, found the net, helping Brazil secure a vital away win to take them back into an automatic qualification spot.
Lula used this victory as an opportunity to highlight the quality of players in Brazil, emphasising that those competing in the domestic league should be given more chances with the Selecao.
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In an interview with Diario Sport, Lula said, “There are no Garrinchas or Romarios playing in Europe, only young players who are not yet stars. In Brazil, there are good players of the same quality, so give opportunities to those who are here."
Vinicius Jr's absence sparks criticism
Vinicius, who has been a standout performer for Real Madrid, missed Brazil’s October World Cup qualifiers due to an injury to the annoyance of Selecao followers.
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While his club had a valid case for keeping him off the national team roster, some criticism arose about his absence from the Selecao despite his unconvincing returns for Brazil.
Despite arguably being sparked by Vinicius’ absence, Lula's comments were not targeted at the Real Madrid star, and generally suggested that Brazil should not automatically turn to its European-based stars, even when available.
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Brazil will close out their October international window with a home match against Peru, followed by two more World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Uruguay in November and it remains to be seen whether Lula’s comments will influence future squad decisions.
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