Injured Alex out of Brazil squad

SAO PAULO (AP) -Chelsea defender Alex has a hernia injury and will miss Brazil's World Cup qualifiers and the Confederations Cup.

The 26-year-old center back has left Brazil's squad to undergo surgery, the Brazilian football confederation said late Wednesday.

Alex's replacement was not immediately announced.

Among his possible substitutes were Sao Paulo's Miranda, AC Milan's Thiago Silva and Werder Bremen's Naldo. The three players were not initially called up but have recently been regulars in Dunga's squad.

Alex was a member of Brazil's team that won the Copa America in 2004 in Peru and in 2007 in Venezuela.

Brazil will play qualifiers against Uruguay in Montevideo on June 6 and Paraguay four days later in the northeastern city of Recife.

The team travels to South Africa on June 11 for the start of the Confederations Cup three days later.

Brazil is second in South American qualifying with 21 points, three behind leader Paraguay and one ahead of third-place Chile. Argentina is fourth with 19. The top four nations will earn automatic World Cup berths.

In the Confederations Cup, Brazil is in Group B along with Egypt, United States and Italy. It debuts against Egypt on June 15 in Bloemfontein.