Chelsea forward Estêvão will miss the 2026 World Cup after being omitted from Brazil’s 55-player preliminary squad, sources have told ESPN’s Pedro Ivo Almeida. The decision effectively rules the teenager out of the tournament, as national teams must select their final 26-man rosters exclusively from that long list submitted to FIFA.

Estêvão’s participation had been in doubt since he suffered a muscle injury to his right thigh during Chelsea’s 1-0 Premier League defeat to Manchester United on April 18. Initial assessments from both Chelsea and Brazil’s medical departments suggested there was a slim chance he could recover in time, but neither staff could guarantee he would be fully fit for the start of the competition.

According to sources, that uncertainty proved decisive. With Brazil targeting a deep run at the World Cup, coach Carlo Ancelotti opted against using a valuable preliminary slot on a player whose availability remained doubtful. The call ends what had been a rapid rise for Estêvão, who was widely viewed as a lock for his first World Cup before the injury.

The forward, 19, had returned to his former club Palmeiras for part of his rehabilitation, a move designed to give him a familiar environment during a critical phase of his recovery. Those close to the player said he appeared visibly dejected on arrival, already bracing for the likelihood that his World Cup dream would be postponed.

Estêvão’s omission contrasts sharply with the inclusion of Neymar, who has been named among the forwards on Brazil’s 55-man list. The 34-year-old, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals, had not featured in any squad since Ancelotti took charge of the Seleção, but his presence on the long list signals that he remains in contention for a fourth World Cup.

Before his setback, Estêvão had impressed Ancelotti with his form at Chelsea following a £29 million move from Palmeiras last summer. He scored eight goals in 36 appearances in all competitions, quickly establishing himself as one of Brazil’s most exciting young attacking talents.

He now joins Real Madrid pair Éder Militão and Rodrygo among the high-profile Brazilian absentees whose serious injuries have reshaped Ancelotti’s World Cup plans.