Corinthians' Breno Bidon Aims for Brazil Call-Up

Following Brazil's early exit from the FIFA World Cup 2026™, the national team is turning its attention to the future. With four years to prepare for the next world finals, coach Carlo Ancelotti is set to rebuild the squad, with midfield reinforcements a top priority. Among the promising talents is Breno Bidon, a 21-year-old left-footed midfielder from Corinthians, who has already amassed nearly 140 appearances for the São Paulo club.

A Rising Star at Corinthians

Bidon's 2025 season was marked by significant achievements: he won the state championship and the Copa do Brasil with Corinthians, and played a pivotal role in the Supercopa do Brasil victory over Flamengo earlier this year. His performance in that match earned him the player of the match award and drew praise from teammate Memphis Depay, who tipped him for a national team call-up.

“He’s a very intelligent player and has tons of potential. He’s a hard worker and mentally strong, and he needs to start playing for Brazil,” said Depay, the Netherlands international.

In an interview with FIFA, Bidon acknowledged that the prospect of making Ancelotti's squad is on his mind. “It’s my dream to play for my country,” he said. “The Seleção were knocked out of the World Cup a little early, but it’s time now to focus [on what’s ahead]. Who knows? Maybe I’ll get the call next time. I’m going to work really hard to make it happen.”

Path to the National Team

Bidon was a key figure in Brazil's U-20 squad that won the South American U-20 Championship last year. He will have a prime opportunity to impress Ancelotti when Corinthians face Argentina's Rosario Central in the last 16 of the 2026 CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores later this month. Winning the continental title would also give him a taste of the global stage, as the South American champions advance to the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ at year's end.

Ramon Menezes, who coached Brazil's U-20s to that South American title, described Bidon as a “special player.” Bidon himself is confident in Brazil's talent pool: “Brazil have a lot of strength in depth. We’re the home of football and we always produce a lot of talented players. Rayan has already made it from our generation and had a good World Cup, and there are definitely some other great players coming through.”

Learning from the Best

At Corinthians, Bidon is under the guidance of former Brazil boss Fernando Diniz, who also coached Rayan at Vasco da Gama. Another Diniz disciple is Bruno Guimarães, who played under the tactician for several seasons and serves as a role model for Bidon. “Bruno plays in the same position as me and had a very good World Cup,” said Bidon. “He missed a penalty [in the last-16 defeat to Norway], but he performed well at the tournament and really stood out. He’s an inspiration for me.”

Bidon's standout moment came in last year's Copa do Brasil final against Vasco, where he produced a sublime flick to evade Cauã Barros in his own half, then surged forward to help set up Depay's winner in a 2-1 second-leg victory.

Despite the praise and growing interest from European clubs, Bidon remains grounded. “I’m very much a newcomer: I’m still only 21 and have a lot left to learn, a lot of things that I still need to work on,” he said. “There are a lot of experienced guys at the club who play in the same position and always talk to me and help me so much, like Rodrigo Garro.”

Born in 2005, Bidon's journey has not been straightforward. He had three separate spells in the Palmeiras youth academy but was released each time. He also played for Portuguesa at U-11 level and Audax at U-13 before his big break at Corinthians.