Guangzhou Evergrande midfielder Paulinho is all set to join the Brazil national team for their campaign in the ongoing 2018 FIFA World Cup CONMEBOL qualifying tournament.

The Seleção, who is currently at sixth place in the overall standings with a measly nine points and a 2-1-3 win-loss-draw record, is scheduled to meet tough team Ecuador on Thursday at the Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito before hosting powerhouse Colombia on Sep. 6 at the Arena da Amazônia in Manaus.

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The 28-year-old Southern China Tigers midfielder is one of three members of the current Brazilian squad that is signed with a Chinese Super League club at the moment, with the other two being fellow midfielder Renato Augusto of Beijing Guoan and defender Gil of Shandong Luneng.

Goal indicated that the former Corinthians and Tottenham Hotspur standout has been re-united with former Seleção teammates and recent Olympic gold medalists Augusto and Neymar since Brazil's fateful 2014 World Cup campaign held in their own country.

New Canarinho manager Tite, who took over from sacked head coach Dunga last June, was the one who called-up Paulinho to return to the national team and join his side on their way back to World Cup glory.

Meanwhile, Daily Mail Online noted that Paulinho is a "surprise inclusion" in a "revamped Brazil squad for" the two upcoming crucial World Cup qualifying games.

He was Coach Tite's former player at Corinthians from 2010 to 2013, which means that the two are quite familiar with each other, hence the reason for his call-up.

"It isn't about renewal," Tite said with regards to the squad's "widespread changes" from the Copa America lineup last June. "It's about form."

He then acknowledged that both Ecuador and Colombia are higher than Brazil in the current standings and so they should be considered as the underdogs in both matches.

"There are two teams above us and they are two teams that are ready," said Tite. "They have confidence and move the ball forward quickly. They will be very difficult matches."

The top four teams at the end of the South American tournament will advance in the 2018 World Cup in Russia while the fifth-placed squad will enter an inter-confederation playoff tournament.

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, Chinese Super League news, Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao FC, Paulinho, Brazil