(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti said Vinicius Jr must be fully fit to make next year's World Cup squad, reiterating his policy of picking only players who are 100% game-ready.

In October, Ancelotti had sent a similar warning to Neymar saying the Santos forward would need to be fully fit to earn a recall to the squad.

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In an interview with the Brazilian sports programme Esporte Record, the Italian said he expects the same standards for every player in his team.

"There are many high-quality players and I need to choose those who are at 100%," Ancelotti said.

"It's not just about Neymar, it could be Vinicius. If Vinicius is at 90%, I will call up another player who is at 100%, because this is a team with a very high level of competitiveness, especially in attack, where we have many excellent players."

Vinicius Jr scored the sole goal when Brazil beat Paraguay 1-0 in June this year to secure their spot for the 2026 World Cup, scheduled from June 11 to July 19 in North America.

Brazil will meet France in a warm-up game in Boston during the international window between March 23 and 31.

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