Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti refused to confirm Neymar’s participation with the Seleção in the 2026 World Cup, stating that the only way to guarantee his inclusion is if the player performs well in the next six months.
Neymar has yet to represent his country under Ancelotti’s management due to his numerous injuries with Santos and his poor form since last June until the last international break in November.
On the eve of the 2026 World Cup draw, Ancelotti was asked about Neymar’s availability for Brazil in the tournament, to which he responded firmly, “If he deserves to be there, we will include him.”
He added, “If he is better than the others, we will include him, that’s all. But I assure you, I owe nothing to anyone.”
“If we’re talking about Neymar, we have to talk about other players,” he added. “We have to think about Brazil, with or without Neymar, with or without other players. We’ll finalize our squad after the two FIFA international breaks in March.”
Brazil will face France and Croatia in friendlies during the March international break, while the 2026 World Cup draw placed them in a group with Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland.
It’s worth noting that Neymar has just returned to form in the last two rounds of the Brazilian league, scoring three goals despite injury and helping his team avoid relegation.
