Real Madrid News
Official: Vinicius, Endrick named in Brazil squad for upcoming friendlies
With the FIFA World Cup in North America only a few months away, the first international break of 2026 arrives in a week, as teams look to fine-tune their plans and preparations for the summer extravaganza.
Brazil, led by former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, will be involved in two friendlies against France and Croatia, with the games scheduled to be played on 26 March and 31 March, respectively in the United States of America.
And, Ancelotti has now announced the squad list of players he will be taking to the US for the two pre-World Cup friendlies.
As expected, Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr. has been called up by the Italian legend, with the 25-year-old forward being a central figure in his plans for the Selecao.
CONVOCADOS! 📋
— brasil (@CBF_Futebol) March 16, 2026
O mister Ancelotti divulgou a lista de jogadores convocados para os amistosos contra França e Croácia, nos dias 26 e 31 de março, nos Estados Unidos.
BATE NO PEITO!
ISSO É BRASIL 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/qT9zVAn6Gl
The Brazilian winger has been in good nick in recent weeks for Los Blancos and will hope to carry that forward on the international stage, where he has not always been able to perform at the level expected of him.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid teenage sensation Endrick, currently shining on loan at Olympique Lyon, has also been rewarded with a call-up to the Brazil squad as a reward for his good form since moving to France.
The 19-year-old, after all, has six goals and four assists from only 12 appearances for his loan club. He will be vying for one of the No. 9 spots in the Brazil squad for the World Cup.
Rodrygo and Eder Militao miss out through injuries, with the former even ruled out of the World Cup after rupturing his ACL last month.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid resolve their pitch problems as the Bernabeu surface returns to good condition
After years of problems with the pitch, Real Madrid now believe that those issues are now a thing of the past, reports MARCA.
For several seasons, the playing surface at the Santiago Bernabeu had become one of Real Madrid’s biggest headaches. Five pitch changes in a single season, paint used to disguise its poor appearance on television and criticism from all sides.
The club had been trying to solve the problem for some time and now, they believe they have finally found an answer.
The Bernabeu begins to put its turf problems behind it
The latest operation was accelerated following the NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and the Commanders, forcing the club to replace the playing surface in just 72 hours to meet the deadline last season. This time, however, there was an important difference.
After establishing that the underlying structure was in good condition, Real Madrid decided to retain the existing turf panels and hybrid stitching system rather than remove everything and start again.
The new grass was installed over the existing base after being cultivated for several months. The variety selected was RyeBlue Deportivo, a high-performance mixture consisting of 50% perennial ryegrass and 50% Poa pratensis.
Real Madrid hoped the combination would provide a definitive solution. The club’s groundskeeping team has since refined the maintenance process, and the results are encouraging.
The Bernabeu is now in a condition that satisfies the club, and there are no plans to make further changes to the playing surface during the season.
It is the outcome Real Madrid have been pursuing for years, following a situation that eventually concerned the players themselves.
Major concerts remain the Bernabeu’s outstanding challenge
While the pitch problem appears to have been brought under control, the return of major concerts remains the Bernabeu’s biggest unresolved issue.
Real Madrid have spent months working to address the noise problems that forced them to suspend large-scale concerts.
The work has included soundproofing improvements and other measures designed to prevent noise from escaping the stadium. However, there is still no confirmed date for the return of major events.
Real Madrid believe the work carried out has brought the stadium closer to an optimal level of sound insulation.
Several areas have been reinforced to reduce noise escaping outside, with particular attention paid to entrances, enclosures and other points through which sound waves could travel.
The structural soundproofing work is understood to be nearing completion, with final architectural finishing work and official sound-emission tests still outstanding.
In the meantime, Real Madrid are exploring ways to make a return to large-scale events more feasible.
The aim is to make full use of the improvements already completed and establish a model that allows the club to revive an activity that was one of the major commercial attractions of the renovated stadium.
Until that becomes possible, Real Madrid continue to explore other ways of generating revenue from the Bernabeu. Corporate events, award ceremonies, conferences and private celebrations remain among the alternatives.
For Real Madrid, resolving the pitch issue is a significant step forward. Restoring large-scale entertainment to the Bernabeu remains the next major objective.
