Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti has said that only players that are “100% fit” will make Brazil’s World Cup squad, including star man Neymar.
Injuries have limited Brazil’s all-time leading scorer Neymar from being involved with the national side the last two years with his last appearance for the national side coming in a defeat to Uruguay in October 2023.
“He has to be 100%,” Ancelotti told Esporte Record when asked about Neymar.
“There are many players who are very good, I need to choose players that are 100%. It’s not just Neymar, it could be [Real Madrid forward] Vinícius. If Vinícius is at 90%, I’ll call up another player who is at 100%, because it’s a team that has a very high level of competence, especially up front. Up front, we have really many good players.”
Neymar’s injury problems have threatened to curtail his involvement in the 2026 World Cup. Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images
Neymar, 33, is currently struggling with a meniscus problem in his left knee that will likely require arthroscopic surgery at the end of the year. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star already had an operation on his left knee to reconstruct an ACL tear and a torn meniscus two years ago.
“I think he’s a great talent,” Ancelotti said of Neymar. “He’s had the bad luck of having injuries. He couldn’t be in good physical condition because of the injuries he’s had.”
Despite his latest fitness setback, Neymar started and scored in Santos’ 3-0 win over Sport on Friday, a result that allowed his team to climb out of the relegation zone with two league games remaining.
– Neymar’s World Cup hopes hit new low as Estêvão’s star rises
– Neymar (knee) could need surgery and miss Santos’ key run – sources
– Brazil’s Neymar willing to play for Santos despite injury – sources
“I’m feeling better and better,” Neymar said after Friday’s game. “This injury is sad, it’s annoying. But it’s nothing that will stop me from doing anything. That’s why I keep playing. Now it’s time to think about Santos, to think about putting Santos where it deserves to be, which is in the top flight. And then we’ll see what to do.”
Neymar, who returned to his boyhood club Santos in January, is hoping to play in his fourth World Cup next year.
