Kaka replaced by Ganso in Brazil's Copa America squad

News
By published

A hamstring injury to Kaka has ruled him out of the Copa America Centenario, replaced in Brazil's squad by Ganso.

Ganso has been called up to replace the injured Kaka in Brazil's Copa America Centenario squad, it was announced on Wednesday. 

Kaka was initially called up as an injury replacement for Douglas Costa after the Bayern Munich midfielder suffered a thigh injury. 

However, Orlando City's Kaka was ruled out for at least the next 20 days after scans revealed a hamstring strain.

Article continues below

The 34-year-old is replaced in Brazil's 23-man squad for the Copa America, held in the United States for the first time, by former Sao Paulo team-mate Ganso. 

Ganso, 26, has not played for Brazil since coming off the bench in a 2-1 international friendly win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2012. 

Before that, the attacking midfielder had started every game of Brazil's 2011 Copa America campaign, where they were eliminated in a penalty shoot-out against Paraguay in the quarter-finals. 

Drawn in Group B, Brazil will face Ecuador on June 4 before facing Haiti (June 8) and Peru (June 12).