Nóng: Coach Ancelotti finalizes Neymar's future with the Brazil national team

Coach Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly set to make a crucial decision regarding striker Neymar's participation in the upcoming March training camp.

According to sources from ESPN Brasil, Coach Carlo Ancelotti will not call up Neymar for Brazil's final two friendly matches before the 2026 World Cup. The source states that Ancelotti and his coaching staff do not plan to include the 34-year-old forward for the matches against France and Croatia, which are considered the last rehearsals before the biggest football event on the planet.

Notably, this decision is unrelated to Neymar's disappointing performance in Santos' elimination by Novorizontino in the Paulista Championship. The choice to exclude him was premeditated. In fact, the coaching team believes there is no need to test Neymar with the squad at this time, as Ancelotti still highly regards the player's technical skill and ability to create breakthroughs.

The source also revealed that the issue of Neymar's call-up is no longer up for debate. If by May, he regains sufficient fitness to meet the Brazil national team's standards for the 2026 World Cup, the possibility of his recall remains entirely open.

Currently, Neymar is 34 years old and still hopes to participate in the upcoming World Cup. However, since returning to Brazil to play for Santos to regain form and fitness, he has not been called up once. Due to injury setbacks, although he occasionally shines, Neymar overall has yet to reach expected levels. Ancelotti's decision has sparked mixed reactions on social media. Most fans agree with his choice, but some argue that Neymar no longer maintains his previous standard.

Since rejoining Santos in January 2025, Neymar has played 30 matches, scored 11 goals, and provided 5 assists, directly contributing to 16 goals. Nevertheless, these statistics seem insufficient to convince the coaching staff at present.