Rio de Janeiro: Brazil playmaker Kaka has been overlooked for the Copa America while striker Fred earned another shot at the tournament when he was named in coach Mano Menezes's squad.
Menezes, who also left out Ronaldinho, picked 28 players for friendlies at home to Netherlands and Romania next month from which he will draw his squad for the tournament being hosted by Argentina in July.
"During the period of the Copa America, Kaka will still need to do some activities related to his recovery so we concluded in a recent chat with him that it was still not the time for a call-up," Menezes told a news conference.
Kaka has made a disappointing comeback from knee surgery for Real Madrid this year and not managed to reclaim a first team place.
Menezes said the only player not in the squad to defend the title that he would wait for until the last minute was Santos playmaker Paulo Henrique Ganso who has a thigh injury.
"We're following the player's recovery so we can decide at the right moment. He is the only player not among these 28 who can be called for the Copa America," Menezes said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, May 20, 2011, 11:23