Flamengo forward Ronaldinho has been included in the Brazil squad for the friendly against Bosnia-Herzegovina later this month, but there was no place for Real Madrid playmaker Kaka.
Santos duo Neymar and Paulo Henrique Ganso were also named in a strong 23-man squad for the February 28 encounter in St Gallen, Switzerland.
Kaka has featured nine times for the Primera Division leaders this year, but has seemingly not done enough to convince national coach Mano Menezes.
“I do not have an explanation for all players who are not in the squad,” Menezes said at a press conference.
“This should not be the [end of the] line, with the respect I have for Kaka – it’s an evaluation.
“Perhaps I didn’t see something from him that I wanted to see.”
Of out-of-form Ronaldinho, he said: “When I called him up before I explained that I think of Ronaldinho as part of a project. I cannot read too much into the player’s performances right now.”
Santos goalkeeper Rafael was the only new name in the group, while AC Milan’s Robinho was overlooked along with injured team-mate Alexandre Pato.
The match – the Selecao’s opening game of 2012 – will be the first in a lengthy run of friendlies for Menezes’ men as they build up for the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup finals on home soil, while the younger players will also be looking to impress ahead of this summer’s London Olympics.