Palmeiras head coach Abel Ferreira criticized the criteria for national team call-ups following his team’s 6–1 victory over Remo on November 5, 2026, at the Nubank Parque. While celebrating the win in the 34th round of the Brasileirão, the coach questioned the consistency of player selections during the international break, citing a perceived imbalance in treatment between his club and Flamengo.
Discontent regarding national team selections
Ferreira highlighted what he perceives as a disparity in how players are managed between Palmeiras and Flamengo. During his post-match press conference, the coach expressed frustration that the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) opted not to call up players from either club, despite the fact that no Palmeiras players had been selected in previous rounds. He noted that while Flamengo saw three or four players excluded from the current Brazilian squad, Palmeiras had no representation to begin with.
Abel Ferreira questionou a declaração de Carlo Ancelotti, treinador da seleção brasileira, sobre não convocar jogadores de Palmeiras e Flamengo na próxima Data Fifa. O português destacou que a equipe paulista não teve nenhum atleta chamado para defender o Brasil na última lista,… pic.twitter.com/ZBo9nh37Qt
How many players from the Brazilian national team were called up from Palmeiras? None. In the last one, there were already none. I personally didn’t like hearing that they wouldn’t call up Palmeiras players, when there were already no players called up before,
Abel Ferreira, Palmeiras head coach
The coach further contrasted the domestic policy with the requirements of other nations. He noted that while the CBF sought to protect league integrity, his squad was still being depleted by international commitments. The Argentina national team called up forward Flaco López and fullback Giay, while the Uruguayan side selected defender Piquerez and midfielder Emiliano Martínez. Paraguay called up midfielder Maurício—who scored against Remo—and defender Gustavo Gómez. For the Colombian national team, Jhon Arias received a call-up.
Is it fair for some national teams to release players and others to take them to the other side of the world? For me, it’s not the national teams that are wrong,
Abel Ferreira, Palmeiras head coach
Ferreira suggested that the current approach impacts the balance of the league, arguing that the competition is influenced by these variables. He expressed that he would like to have at least 15 players available for his training sessions, despite the logistical challenges of international travel. He even suggested that Argentina’s coach, Lionel Scaloni, could have theoretically adopted a similar policy of not calling up players from the two title contenders to keep the competition fair.
Ferreira maintains Flamengo remains league title favorite
Despite the emphatic 6–1 result, Ferreira maintained his stance that Flamengo remains the favorite to win the league title. The Flamengo side currently leads the standings with 76 points, while Palmeiras holds 73 points with four rounds remaining in the 2026 season. Ferreira argued that stability in sports projects is more significant than financial investment alone, noting that if money were the sole factor, Flamengo would always be the champion.
Reflecting on the match against Remo, the coach praised the efficiency and tactical execution of his players. A goleada começou aos três minutos, quando Jhon Arias recebeu um passe e driblou o goleiro Marcelo Rangel para abrir o placar. Arias added a second goal ten minutes later, and Maurício extended the lead to 3–0 by the 20th minute. Substitutes Flaco López and Felipe Anderson later rounded out the historic scoreline.
We played a safe, light game; we were strong in our creativity and in not giving away chances. I, personally, have had difficulties against Carpini’s teams, but today we were efficient in how we took apart that back five. It was a very pleasant game for those who watched,
he remarked. Talking only about this game is easy, because the efficiency was good, but we have to talk about the last few games. We had been less efficient,
he added. He urged his squad to put their foot on the accelerator
as they prepare for the semifinal second leg of the Copa do Brasil against Vasco on November 8, where Palmeiras holds a 1–0 advantage.