Neymar Fires Back at Brazil Snub with Explosive Promise to Real Madrid Boss Ancelotti
Neymar expressed his feelings of being "let down and dejected" after being excluded from Brazil's March international fixtures against France and Croatia, continuing his two-year hiatus from the national team.
Carlo Ancelotti announced his roster for the two 2026 World Cup preparation games on Monday, choosing emerging talents like Endrick and João Pedro for his squad while Brazil's record goalscorer was left out in the cold.
Neymar quickly addressed Ancelotti's omission during a Kings League Brazil gathering. "I need to speak up here, as I cannot remain silent," Neymar stated to Mad House.
"Clearly, I feel let down and dejected about not being chosen. However, I stay committed, day by day, session by session, game by game. We will achieve our objective. The final [World Cup] roster is still to come."
Neymar Moving in the Right Direction—But Is It Sufficient?
Neymar Moving in the Right Direction—But Is It Sufficient?
Expectations were elevated for Neymar to finally earn his first selection under Ancelotti for the March international break. The Brazilian star made his comeback from minor knee surgery in February and has tallied two goals and two assists across four outings for Santos.
Even more encouraging is the playing time Neymar is accumulating. The 34-year-old completed full 90-minute performances in his previous three fixtures, displaying no indication of injury complications. However, he was absent from his team's 2–2 stalemate with Mirassol last week, raising slight concerns—particularly for Ancelotti.
The Italian tactician was present in the stadium for that encounter, an unfortunate coincidence for Neymar. Ancelotti subsequently stressed that Neymar is "not at full capacity," explaining his decision to exclude the superstar from his selection.
Instead, the former Real Madrid coach chose to feature Brazil's emerging prospects who could assume significant roles for the Seleção in this summer's World Cup following Rodrygo's tournament exclusion due to an ACL injury.
Neymar Maintains His World Cup Aspirations
Neymar Maintains His World Cup Aspirations
Despite this recent disappointment, Neymar continues to harbor ambitions of participating in the 2026 World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
"Naturally, my ambition is to rejoin the national squad, to compete in the World Cup, but that's beyond my control," Neymar explained. "It's the coaching team's decision to make, and regardless of my inclusion, I will always back the national team."
While the circumstances work against him, it's certainly not out of reach for Neymar to secure a spot in Ancelotti's final World Cup roster. If the Barcelona icon sustains his fitness over the coming months and keeps performing for Santos, he has a reasonable chance of earning his place at football's premier competition.
Nevertheless, even if Neymar receives a World Cup call-up, he would probably serve as a substitute, a position the attacker might have rejected years earlier. Currently, however, it's clear he would embrace any opportunity to return to the Seleção in whatever role.
Neymar hasn't worn his legendary No. 10 jersey for Brazil since suffering his ACL injury in December 2023 during international service. Nothing would be more fitting than the 34-year-old making his comeback in the twilight of his career to assist his nation in achieving an unlikely World Cup triumph.