The World Cup door is closing for Neymar

From being an icon of Brazilian football, Neymar is now out of Carlo Ancelotti's plans.

The days of Neymar being at the center of all plans are over. According to UOL , coach Carlo Ancelotti has almost removed him from the list of players preparing for the 2026 World Cup. The Italian coach no longer considers the Santos star capable of meeting the intensity of the highest level of competition.

Brazil’s experts have been closely monitoring Neymar throughout his recovery, with GPS data and physiological indicators showing he is “significantly below the level of a top player”.

“There is no longer any excitement or expectation that he can return to the way he was before,” an inside source said. In other words, Neymar has lost the trust of those who once placed their dreams in him.

Ancelotti kept a calm demeanor when talking about the future of the team, but he did not hide his opinion: Brazil only needs players in the best physical condition. In a recent press conference, he announced that he had selected “17 to 18 names” and affirmed that the testing phase was over. The list next March will almost be the World Cup squad. Those words sounded the death knell for Neymar’s last hope.

Neymar is unlikely to attend the 2026 World Cup.

The door is not completely closed, but the gap is very narrow. UOL said that if Neymar explodes in the next few months, playing regularly and reaching his peak form, Ancelotti could reconsider. However, with a long history of injuries and declining fitness, that is almost an impossible task.

From the 2014 World Cup to Qatar 2022, Neymar has been the soul of the Selecão. He carries the belief, the emotion and the pressure of an entire nation. But football waits for no one. The new generation of Brazil, with Vinícius, Rodrygo, Endrick or Martinelli, is growing stronger every day, and they do not need a tired Neymar anymore.

Barring a miracle, the 2026 World Cup could be the first tournament in more than a decade that Brazil takes to the field without Neymar. And perhaps, it would also be the end of an era in which he was once the flag bearer of green and yellow pride.

Source: https://znews.vn/canh-cua-world-cup-dang-khep-lai-voi-neymar-post1600171.html