Brentford striker Igor Thiago and Bournemouth winger Rayan have earned their first call-ups to the Brazil national team for upcoming friendlies against France and Croatia. Thiago, the Premier League's second-highest scorer with 19 goals this season, joins Rayan, who joined Bournemouth for £24.7m in January, in the 26-man squad.

Thiago's inclusion comes after a remarkable turnaround since joining Brentford for a club-record £30m fee last July. The 24-year-old struggled with injuries in his first season, making just eight appearances without scoring, but has since become a key player for the West London side. Rayan, 19, has scored two Premier League goals since his move from Vasco da Gama.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti has also selected former Norwich attacker Gabriel Sara for his first Brazil appearance, while Flamengo's Leo Pereira joins as another newcomer. The squad notably excludes injured superstar Neymar, who hasn't played for Brazil since October 2023. Brazil faces France in Boston on March 26 before taking on Croatia in Orlando on March 31, with these matches serving as the final preparation before Ancelotti names his World Cup squad.