Head coach Carlo Ancelotti has given the real reason for Neymar Jr.’s high-profile absence from the most recent Seleção squad in a major update from the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) headquarters.
Speaking at a huge press conference in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, March 16, 2026, the Italian strategist explained that the choice was made solely on the basis of physical preparedness rather than technical skill.
Ancelotti disclosed that a personal reconnaissance trip to watch the Santos vs. Mirassol match in which Neymar was noticeably absent due to recurrent muscle fatigue, had a significant impact on his final evaluation of the Santos striker.
“I haven’t called him up because he is not 100 percent,” Ancelotti firmly said, stressing that he needs a squad of players who are at their physical best for the forthcoming high-intensity friendlies against France and Croatia in the United States. For Neymar, who has been working nonstop to guarantee his spot in the final 26-man team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the absence represents a crucial turning point.
The 34-year-old’s recovery from the terrible ACL injury he sustained in October 2023 has been slowed by numerous small setbacks, including a recent rectus femoris injury, despite hints of his renowned talent since his emotional comeback to Santos in early 2025. The veteran’s future was carefully managed by Ancelotti, who left the possibility of a World Cup comeback open as long as the physical metrics improved.
In his words, “Neymar can be at the World Cup if he is 100 percent fit. One thing is the final squad, another thing is these friendlies now. He has to keep working, playing, and maintaining good physical condition, He has to keep working, playing, and maintaining good physical condition.”
Ancelotti has made a daring move toward a new generation of attacking talent in the absence of the country’s all-time top scorer, giving call-ups to up-and-coming players like 19-year-old Endrick, who is now thriving at Lyon, and the untested Bournemouth prodigy Rayan.
As the squad gets ready for its first Group C game against Morocco in New Jersey, this tactical change implies that while Neymar’s technical prowess is still undeniable, the “Ancelotti era” of Brazilian football is increasingly emphasizing work rate and durability.
Neymar is under pressure to demonstrate that he can withstand the demands of a seven-match competition as the deadline for the final World Cup team announcement approaches on May 18. The Italian manager has made it clear that “names do not play; fitness does.”
