WASHINGTON — Carlo Ancelotti sent a clear message to Brazilian legend Neymar about potentially donning the famed canary yellow once more at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States this upcoming summer: Earn your place.
“I understand you guys are very interested in Neymar, and I want to clarify,” Ancelotti, the Brazilian head coach who has won just about every major club title with Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, and AC Milan, began after the World Cup Draw on Friday. “We are in December, the World Cup is in June. When I announce the squad in May, if Neymar deserves to go, if he’s well, if he’s better or the same as others, he will play in the World Cup. Period. But I don’t have debts to anyone.”
Neymar, 33, has not been the same talismanic talent that once graced European fields with Barcelona and PSG after tearing his ACL during an Oct. 2023 World Cup qualifying match against Uruguay. However, his level had risen in recent weeks to help his Brazilian side, Santos, avoid relegation from the country’s top flight.
He scored a hat trick on Wednesday against Juventude despite dealing with a muscular injury, then played a full 90 minutes on Sunday in a 3-0 win over Cruzeiro. He had eight goals in 20 matches this season, with five of those coming in his last four appearances.
But following Sunday’s finale, he revealed that he would need surgery on his knee, but is hopeful that he will be back in time for the World Cup.
Despite being ranked fifth in the world, Brazil finished in fifth place in South America’s World Cup qualifying, which grants automatic berths to the 48-team finals to the top six finishers. Its six losses were the most of any of the CONMEBOL qualifying clubs.
It prompted Ancelotti to admit that his side does not have a “referential player” at this time, which has only fueled the questions regarding Neymar’s standing with the national team. He appeared in just four of Brazil’s 18 World Cup qualifiers and had not been selected by Ancelotti once since he took over.
“If we speak about Neymar, we have to speak about other players,” Ancelotti said. “We have to think about Brazil with or without Neymar, with or without other players. Our final list we will make after the FIFA [friendlies] in March.”
The Brazilians have been drawn into Group C of the 2026 World Cup and will begin their tournament at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ — just outside of New York City — with a gargantuan matchup against 2022 semifinalists and African powerhouses Morocco.
For more on Neymar and the 2026 World Cup, visit AMNY.com
