Coach Carlo Ancelotti delivers harsh truth about Neymar

Coach Carlo Ancelotti clarifies the reason for removing the Santos star from Brazil’s most recent roster.

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti stated that he is still waiting for Neymar to regain his best physical condition before recalling him to the national team. The Italian strategist hopes the Santos star can play regularly and fully recover from his hamstring injury before returning to the Selecao jersey.

Speaking at the press conference announcing the squad for two upcoming friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia, Ancelotti admitted he has not contacted Neymar and will only call him up when the player reaches ideal fitness.

Earlier, the Italian coach praised the 33-year-old star in an interview with GOAL, saying: “Neymar is capable of performing at the highest level in this squad without any issues. When he is in good form and physical condition, he has the quality to play not only for Brazil but also for any club worldwide, thanks to his natural talent.”

When asked about the greatest scorer in Brazil’s history, Ancelotti reaffirmed: “I haven’t spoken to him again yet. We will see when Neymar recovers and returns to play.”

Meanwhile, former Brazilian star Fabio Luciano voiced doubts about Ancelotti’s decision to leave Neymar out of the squad. On the program Resenha da Rodada, Luciano stated:

“I don’t think Neymar’s World Cup participation depends solely on whether he is at 100% fitness. If he’s not at his peak but still shows class and plays quality football, there’s no reason to exclude him. Neymar is a player who is technically exceptional.”

He added: “The key is that Neymar is fit enough to play, but I don’t believe he needs to be in ‘peak physical’ condition. If he maintains consistent form, he deserves a call-up because we don’t have anyone like him.”

Neymar currently has 128 caps for Brazil, scoring 79 goals, but has not played under Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian coach has managed Selecao in six matches, winning 3 and losing 2.

The former PSG star has not appeared for the national team since October 2023, when he played 45 minutes in a 0-2 loss to Uruguay in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. His most recent goals for Brazil were a brace against Bolivia in a 5-1 victory in September 2023.

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