What does “seleção” mean in Portuguese football?

Seleção looks like “selection,” and it is one: the players selected to play for their country. In football talk it simply means the national team. A seleção brasileira is Brazil’s team, and as seis seleções are six national teams. Club teams normally aren’t called seleções. In Brazil a club is a time, and in Portugal an equipa or clube.

In Brazil, a Seleção on its own always means Brazil’s team, also called a Canarinho for its yellow shirt. A player convocado para a seleção has been called up to the national team. The reporter here hopes to see a seleção brasileira in the 2030 final. That World Cup will be hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain, with one opening match each in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.