As we’ve touched upon, this is not a vintage Brazil squad, and only the most optimistic Selecao fan – of which there are many, in fairness – will be expecting them to go all the way in North America as a result. You’d think, then, that Ancelotti would be minded to look to the future, and, like Endrick, Rayan should form a big part of that.
The 19-year-old was a revelation after joining Bournemouth from boyhood club Vasco da Gama in January, filling the big boots vacated by Antoine Semenyo. He took to the Premier League like a duck to water, leaning on his bustling physicality and fine finishing ability to rack up seven goal contributions in just 15 appearances to make a late run into the World Cup squad.
Brazil might be well stocked on the wings, but given Rayan is there and in form, you might as well use him – at least off the bench. The Haiti game up next, albeit must-win, also represents the ideal opportunity to experiment.
