Neymar named to Brazil’s final World Cup squad

Coach Carlo Ancelotti announced Brazil’s final 26-man roster Monday in Rio de Janeiro, selecting Neymar despite leaving him out of March friendlies.youtube
Neymar had not played for Brazil since his ACL injury in a 2023 World Cup qualifier, and as recently as February was reportedly not among Ancelotti’s locked-in picks.espn
The squad includes Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha, and Casemiro, while Rodrygo and Estêvão were notably excluded, according to ESPN.espn

Neymar Named in Brazil’s 2026 World Cup Squad

Carlo Ancelotti announced Brazil’s final 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup on Monday at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro, and the headline was unmistakable: Neymar is going to a fourth World Cup.youtube

The 34-year-old Santos forward, who has not played for Brazil since tearing his ACL in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023, was widely seen as a long shot to make the cut just weeks ago. As recently as March, Ancelotti left Neymar out of friendlies against France and Croatia, saying the forward was “not at 100 percent”. Reports in late February indicated Neymar was not among the 18 players Ancelotti had already penciled into his squad.reddit

A Late Push Changed the Equation

Neymar’s path back to the Seleção narrowed further when he was involved in a bizarre incident during Santos’ match against Coritiba on Sunday, in which officials mistakenly substituted him instead of a teammate, prompting a furious reaction. Despite the chaos, Ancelotti evidently saw enough from the forward’s recent form — nine goal contributions in 13 matches since returning to Santos — to warrant inclusion.flashscore

Multiple Brazilian outlets had reported in the days before the announcement that Ancelotti had already decided to bring Neymar, with ESPN reporting he was chosen ahead of Flamengo striker Pedro for one of the final roster spots. The selection drew an emotional reaction from the audience at the CBF event in Rio de Janeiro.yahoo

Who Made It and Who Missed Out

The squad features Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha, Matheus Cunha, and Gabriel Martinelli in attack, with Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães anchoring the midfield. Among the notable absentees are Chelsea forward João Pedro, who according to ESPN FC “won’t make the squad” despite his desire to play alongside Neymar, and Estêvão, the young winger left off the preliminary 55-man list due to injury. Rodrygo was also excluded from the preliminary squad, a decision that had already caused debate earlier in May.yahoo

Veteran defender Thiago Silva, who had publicly backed Neymar’s inclusion in March, saying “if Neymar is fit, he has to play in the World Cup — it’s indisputable,” was included in the provisional list but his final status remains to be confirmed by FIFA’s June 2 deadline. Brazil open their Group C campaign against Morocco on June 13 at MetLife Stadium.olympics