The Brazilian national team coach says the pressure he’s been under to get the Santos striker to the 2026 World Cup squad is normal.
Carlo Ancelotti says he understands the enormous pressure to call up Neymar for the 2026 World Cup finals. The Brazilian coach has not yet made a decision, but says the Santos forward is playing more regularly and has left the door open.
As the start of the World Cup approaches, pressure is mounting for Neymar’s call=up, including requests from his national teammates. Carlo Ancelotti says it’s normal.
Neymar is very loved. Not only by the people, but also by the players. If you call Neymar up, you’re not going to drop a bomb in the locker room because he’s very well-liked, very loved. I think it’s normal for everyone to give their opinion. I thank everyone who gave me advice,” the Brazilian coach highlighted in an interview with Reuters.
Ancelotti praises the fact that Neymar is now playing more consistently at Santos, but also says he doesn’t feel obligated to call up the experienced forward. When we have to choose, we have to consider many things. In this aspect, Neymar is an important player for this country, for the talent he has always demonstrated. He had a problem, he’s recovering, he’s working hard to recover, he’s playing. Lately he has improved a lot, he’s playing consistently, he highlighted.
It’s a complicated decision because it’s clear that Neymar is still far from his best form, but that’s Ancelotti’s job. “Obviously, for me it’s not such a simple decision. I have to carefully weigh the pros and cons. But that doesn’t put pressure on me because, as I said, we’ve been evaluating not only Neymar, but all the players, for a year now, the Italian coach emphasized.
Neymar is included in a preliminary squad of 55 players, but Ancelotti will later have to reduce that list to just 26 names. “I’m the most qualified person to make that decision. Because the information I have about all the Brazilian players this year, nobody else has. So, I’m the most qualified person. Can I make a perfect list? Impossible. But I can make a list with fewer mistakes, compared to others. Of that, I’m certain, he added.
The announcement of the final list of candidates is scheduled for next Monday, May 18th, at a ceremony to be held at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro.