Once again, Carlo Ancelotti threatened to question Neymar Jr.’s presence at the 2026 FIFA World Cup representing Brazil after he omitted him from the national team squad for November’s international fixtures. Suspended from duty, the Brazil manager a 26-man roster named for the friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia ignoring the country’s record goalscorer since his tenure.
When Ancelotti was asked about Neymar’s omission, he gave a short, clear answer that picking a player depended a lot on his fitness and that kind of thing.
“I have not spoken with Neymar,” Ancelotti said. “Recovery, then playing, that’s what we’ll see. If I’m not allowed, I won’t take the player with the lowest intensity for the whole World Cup. The players need to be at their physical best.”
Neymar recently just return to the playing feild for Santos, after a long spell of injury, getting only 29 minutes in his first game since mid-September. The forward has been plague with injured and has limited his playing time, playing in less than 25 matches in the last three seasons.
In the meantime, Santos are still hopeful of hanging onto Neymar longer than just the one-year stint. The club president Marcelo Teixeira believes the two parties are on the same page working towards a deal, however, there are rumors about a possible reunion with Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez at Inter Miami.
Wherever the next chapter of his career is, Neymar’s way back into Brazil’s World Cup squad will be only after proving that he is fit and can be consistent. World Cup is less than two years away and so, if the 32-year-old is to be making his fourth tournament follow, then he must find his sharpness again.
