Brazil recall Thiago Silva for World Cup qualifiers

31-year-old was dropped by former coach Dunga after 2015 Copa America quarter-final elimination

RIO DE JANEIRO: After a year in the international wilderness, Brazil named their former captain Thiago Silva in their squad on Friday for two World Cup qualifiers with Bolivia and Venezuela in the month of October.

The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) captain, who skippered the Selecao in the 2014 finals on home soil, was dropped by former Brazil coach Dunga after a quarter-final elimination by Paraguay in the 2015 Copa America.

The central defender, who came to prominence at AC Milan, was reportedly unhappy that his current club held him back from going to the Olympics in Rio last month.

But new coach Tite named a 24-man squad including the 31-year-old to contest the ninth and tenth games of their 2018 World Cup qualifiers, with the resurgent five-time winners sitting second in the South American group just a point behind leaders Uruguay.

Brazil play Bolivia on October 7 in Natal and Venezuela away three days later having won 3-0 in Ecuador and 2-1 at home to Colombia since Tite was appointed.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Roma/ITA), Muralha (Flamengo), Weverton (Atletico Paranaense)

Defenders: Miranda (Inter Milan/ITA), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Gil (Shandong Luneng/CHN), Daniel Alves (Juventus/ITA), Fagner (Corinthians), Marcelo (Real Madrid/ESP), Filipe Luís (Atletico Madrid/ESP).

Midfielders: Casemiro (Real Madrid/ESP), Renato Augusto (Beijing Guoan/CHN), Paulinho (Guangzhou Evergrande/CHN), Oscar (Chelsea/ENG), Willian (Chelsea/ENG), Fernandinho (Manchester City/ENG), Lucas Lima (Santos), Giuliano (Zenit/RUS), Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool/ENG)

Strikers: Neymar (Barcelona/ESP), Douglas Costa (Bayern Munich/GER), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool/ENG), Gabriel Jesus (Palmeiras)