Vinicius Jr's Return Boosts Brazil's World Cup Hopes

Brazil's national football coach, Dorival Jr, announced that Vinicius Jr will start against Venezuela in the World Cup qualifier. This comes after Vinicius Jr's return from injury and Rodrygo's recent setback. Neymar also remains sidelined with a new injury, while Dorival hopes to build on Brazil's recent victories.

Brazil's national football coach, Dorival Jr, confirmed on Wednesday that forward Vinicius Jr will start in the upcoming World Cup qualifying match against Venezuela. Vinicius Jr makes his return to the lineup after missing the last two matches due to a neck injury. He replaces Rodrygo, who suffered a muscle injury last Saturday.

Additionally, Dorival reported that Eder Militao will undergo surgery for a torn ACL sustained in the same game. The coach expressed the team's recent challenges with injuries, mentioning that these setbacks have been unfortunate yet persistent. Evaluations on players André and Guilherme Arana will decide their involvement in facing Uruguay next week.

Neymar, who recently returned from a year-long knee injury hiatus, is again sidelined with a hamstring injury. Despite the setbacks, Dorival remains optimistic, highlighting the positive momentum from Brazil's last two victories, placing them fourth in the South American standings. The team is set to face Venezuela and Uruguay in crucial upcoming matches.

(With inputs from agencies.)