Listen to the full interview above via the Off The Ball Football Show podcast

Six Premier League players were called up to the Brazil squad for their final pre-World Cup period friendly.

While Chelsea's Oscar, David Luiz, Willian and Ramires and Tottenham's Paulinho are not major surprises. But Manchester City's Fernandinho has earned his first Selecao call up since 2012, while Bayern Munich full-back Rafinha is called up after good form for his club.

Meanwhile, veteran stars Kaka and Robinho have been left out of this squad and tonight BBC South American football correspondent Tim Vickery did not downplay the significance of the squad to face South Africa in Johannesburg on March 5th.

"It's an interesting squad because it's the last squad before the World Cup squad is named. So there will be some disappointed people around like Kaka for example. If you're not in now, and if you've haven't been, it is difficult to see how you get in," said Tim who adds that manager Luiz Felipe Scolari believes that he has the squad to win the World Cup on home soil.

The omission of AC Milan's Robinho is interesting as he had recently enjoyed a resurgence for Brazil as an experimental false .

"He was brought back for the friendlies in November really out of the cold. He was brought back in order to play the false nine role. As an option he did well and won them the friendly against Chile in that position. I think there are two reasons why he wasn't called up this time. One is the injury that he has picked up - and he should be fit by March 5th - but for this friendly Scolari doesn't want to look at the false number nine," said Tim, who also feels Robinho has never matched the early hype.

 

European-based squad members

Julio César, David Luiz, Dante, Thiago Silva, Daniel Alves, Marcelo, Rafinha, Luiz Gustavo, Paulinho, Fernandinho, Ramires, Oscar, Hulk, Bernard, Willian, Neymar.

 

Tim also discussed the potential strike on the opening weekend of the 2014 Brazilian domestic league and explained why it is highly likely to take place. Listen to the full interview via the Off The Ball Football Show podcast.

 

Image: Robinho in 2010 ©INPHO/Donall Farmer