Brazil’s final warm-up was overshadowed by a worrying Wesley injury, after the AS Roma full-back left in tears after 15 minutes with a left groin problem. Carlo Ancelotti said Brazil now have to wait for tests before they know whether he can stay in the squad for the World Cup.

What Ancelotti said after the match

Ancelotti was direct about the next step. "Wesley is going to the medical department for a diagnosis. He has tests tomorrow; he has a muscle problem and we have to wait for tomorrow's diagnosis," he said. He also added, "I think he'll have time to recover and be with us at this World Cup. If not, we'll have to choose someone else. We have time to do that."

That is the most important part of the story. Brazil are not talking about a confirmed long-term absence or a definite squad change, just a player who needs diagnosis and a team that cannot do anything sensible until the medical department has seen him.

The injury came during Brazil’s 2-1 win over Egypt, but the result barely mattered once Wesley went down. Goal.com reported that he collapsed to the turf and could not walk off unaided, while BBC Sport said he left the field in tears after 15 minutes. Whatever the exact diagnosis turns out to be, the problem is serious enough to delay any World Cup planning.

Why the timing matters for Brazil

Brazil do not have much room to wait. Their opener against Morocco is on 13 June in New York, then they face Haiti on 19 June and Scotland on 24 June in Miami. The medical check comes with the tournament already looming, and that makes the next set of tests decisive for his place in the squad.

There is still room for caution before anyone jumps to conclusions about the diagnosis. Goal.com reported internal sources suggesting a lesion, but BBC Sport and other reports have only gone as far as saying Wesley has a muscle problem and that Brazil are waiting for the tests. On the evidence available, that is the line that matters: Brazil do not yet know what they are dealing with.

The other detail that helps Ancelotti's case is that Brazil had two recent warm-up wins before this injury, so the squad had at least some momentum before the setback. That does not lessen the concern around Wesley, but it does mean the team is not arriving at the tournament in a flat state.

If the tests go well, Brazil keep a full-back who had been expected to be part of the World Cup group. If they do not, Ancelotti has already said the squad will have to choose someone else before the opener against Morocco on 13 June.

Compiled by the ClutchBrief Desk with AI assistance, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →