The reason Neymar didn't play in the match against Japan.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti explained his decision not to bring Neymar on in Brazil's 2-1 victory over Japan in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup on the morning of June 30th.

Neymar was on the bench for the entire match against Japan. Photo: Reuters .

Neymar was included in the squad but didn't play a single minute against Japan, even when Brazil needed more attacking options in the second half.

After the match, coach Ancelotti stated that he had prepared a plan to use Neymar if the game went into extra time. However, Gabriel Martinelli's decisive goal in injury time of the second half secured the victory for Brazil within 90 minutes, rendering this plan unnecessary.

You may also like

World Cup 2026 schedule and live broadcast on VTV on July 1st.The schedule and live broadcast of the 2026 World Cup on VTV on July 1st includes the matches Ivory Coast vs Norway, France vs Sweden, Mexico vs Ecuador, and England vs Democratic Republic of Congo.

World Cup 2026: Don't cry for the Japanese team!Playing better in the first half, taking an early lead and causing the Brazilian players trouble on several occasions, the Japanese team ultimately lost 1-2, ending their journey in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup.

Germany's World Cup 2026 campaign ended after a penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay.On the morning of June 30th, the German national team suffered a 3-4 defeat against Paraguay after six penalty shootouts, ending their journey at the 2026 World Cup.

"We were prepared to bring Neymar on if the game went to extra time. I had discussed it with him beforehand. After Brazil equalized, I didn't want to change the system because the team was controlling the game well," coach Ancelotti shared.

In the second half, Neymar was instructed to warm up on the sidelines. Around the 70th minute, tens of thousands of Brazilian fans in the stands chanted the name of the number 10 striker in the hope that he would be brought on. However, coach Ancelotti then decided to tell Neymar to stop warming up and continue to trust the players who were already on the pitch.

On the pitch, Brazil faced difficulties, falling behind to Japan in the first half. In the second half, Casemiro scored the equalizer before Martinelli shone with a goal in injury time, completing a 2-1 comeback to send "Selecao" into the round of 16.

Brazil's opponent in the next round will be the winner of the match between Norway and Ivory Coast.

United States - Vietnam: Don't miss

Vietnam encourages US businesses to expand investment in high technology.On the morning of June 26th, at the Government Headquarters, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung received Mr. Jeff Place, Supply Chain Director of Coherent Group (USA). During the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam encourages US businesses to expand investment, especially in high-tech, innovation, and semiconductor industries.

Encourage U.S. businesses to expand investment in high-tech sectors.Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung said that Vietnam welcomes US businesses to continue expanding their operations in Vietnam, especially in high-tech industries and sectors with high added value.

Vietnam and the United States strengthen cooperation in addressing the consequences of war.VTV.vn - On June 22, General Secretary and President To Lam received Acting Secretary of the US Navy Hung Cao.

Brazil secures a 2-1 victory over Japan. In the early hours of June 30th, Gabriel Martinelli seized the opportunity to score, putting Brazil 2-1 ahead of Japan in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup.

Source: https://znews.vn/ly-do-neymar-khong-da-tran-gap-nhat-ban-post1664469.html