The Brazilian men that will try to defend their title against 15 of the world’s other best teams at the 2018 IBSA Goalball World Championships was revealed by coach Alessandro Tosim on Wednesday (9 May).

In a video posted to Confederação Brasileira de Desportos de Deficientes Visuais (CBDV) social media, Tosim named the six players who will travel to Malmo, Sweden.

Brazil are in Group B alongside the USA, Canada, Germany, Iran, Egypt, the Czech Republic and Japan. They will play their opening games on 3 June against 2014 bronze medallists the USA.

Five of the six players return to the squad after winning bronze at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. That includes Leomon Mora and Josemarcio Sousa, who between them scored all of Brazil’s six goals against Sweden in an overtime thriller in the third place play-off.
Romario Marques, Alex de Melo and Jose Roberto Oliveira have also made the cut once again. André Claudio Botelho Dantas rounds off the selection.

"All the criteria of selection were very established so that the athletes remained in the team and represented Brazil at the World Championships,” Tosim said. “I assure you that we will have a brilliant campaign at the World Championship. All the work was very well done, and the commitment of all the athletes is with the intention of winning the gold medal. We will do our utmost to secure the place for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and the world title.”

Team roster

André Claudio Botelho Dantas
Alex de Melo Sousa
Josemarcio da Silva Sousa
Romario Diego Marques
Leomon Moreno da Silva
José Roberto Ferreira de Oliveira

The Brazilian delegation leaves for Sweden on 29 May. 
 
The 2018 IBSA Goalball World Championships take place between 3-8 June. Featuring 28 men’s and women’s teams, it is the most important competition on the road to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.