RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Lucas Moura has returned to Brazil's national squad after a six-year absence for World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said on Saturday.
The 32-year-old Sao Paulo forward replaces Manchester City winger Savinho, who was ruled out of the matches with a knee injury.
"We have just received notification from [our] medical department about the impossibility of counting on Savinho," Brazil manager Dorival Junior said on the CBF's official website. "That is why I am calling up Lucas Moura for the two qualifiers," he added.
Brazil will meet Ecuador in Curitiba on September 6 and Paraguay in Asuncion four days later.
Lucas, who has been capped 35 times for Brazil since his international debut in 2011, has not represented his country since a 2-0 friendly win over Saudi Arabia in October 2018.
The former Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur attacker has scored nine goals and provided seven assists in 32 appearances across all competitions for Sao Paulo this year.
Five-time world champions Brazil are currently sixth in the 10-team South American qualifying zone with just two wins from six games so far. ■
