World Cup: How Neymar convinced Ancelotti to include him in Brazil's World Cup squad

'Now comes the beautiful part,' said Carlo Ancelotti, moments before announcing the nine forwards who would represent Brazil at the 2026 World Cup. Among them, the name carrying the greatest weight on Monday was Neymar's. For the first time since 2023, and the first time under the Italian boss, the number ten will represent Brazil in a competitive fixture, completing the project begun in January 2025 with his return to Santos.

Across five Ancelotti squads featuring 56 different players, Neymar finally convinced the manager that he was one of the right names for Brazil's World Cup adventure.

From the moment Ancelotti took charge in May 2025, he made one thing clear: beyond the technical question, the number ten would only return if he was 100 per cent physically fit. In the view of the coaching staff, that bar has now been met.

Neymar was assessed by a different set of criteria from other players in the squad. Even while excluded from the cycle, the Brazilian Football Confederation followed his physical recovery closely. Since returning to Santos, he had suffered a series of muscular and physical setbacks, including a knee operation in December that cost him the opening matches of the club's season.

The forward operated under a carefully managed rehabilitation schedule, drawn up jointly by Santos and his personal staff, right up to the squad announcement. He was left out of several matches for load management purposes, to avoid physical wear. Despite those absences in important Brasileirao and Copa Sudamericana fixtures, the objective was achieved when his name was called on Monday.

Physical doubts put Neymar's World Cup place in serious doubt

As recently as March, the picture suggested Neymar would not be called up. In the week before the last international window squad was announced, Ancelotti and his staff made a trip to Mirassol to watch Santos play, specifically hoping to see the number ten in action.

Neymar was left out by coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda on that occasion. Ancelotti visited Mirassol's training facilities, praised their setup, and delivered a public ultimatum: if Neymar wanted to go to the World Cup, he needed to sort out his physical condition. Technically, based on everything he had shown for Brazil in previous years, his place was beyond question.

In a video posted to his social media shortly after missing the friendlies against France and Croatia, Neymar himself acknowledged that with previous managers he had always known in advance he would be selected. With Ancelotti, he said, that had changed, and fixing his fitness was the only path to the tournament.

He worked on his physical reconditioning both at Santos' training ground and at his home on Morro de Santa Terezinha in Santos. During the final month between the last international window and Monday's announcement at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro, that problem was resolved, in Ancelotti's judgement.

Three goals and two assists in ten appearances between April and May supported the case. He missed four matches in that spell but medical examinations conducted by Santos, and communication between the club's medical department and the Brazilian Football Confederation, both pointed to a genuine improvement in physical condition.

Brazil executive coordinator Rodrigo Caetano, Ancelotti's right-hand man within the national setup, maintained direct contact with Santos in the final days. According to the manager, Neymar's inclusion was only confirmed on the morning of Monday itself, following one last review of the list.

Group leadership tipped the balance in Neymar's favour

Ancelotti had never worked with Neymar before, either at club level or with the national team. He did, however, receive considerable advice over the past year in favour of selecting him. In the final squad, beyond the absences of Estevao and Rodrygo through injury, Neymar effectively claimed the ninth attacking spot that had belonged to Joao Pedro in the previous call-up.

Casemiro, Joao Pedro, Raphinha and several other Brazil regulars had spoken openly about wanting the number ten at the World Cup. Former players voiced similar sentiments. Ancelotti factored in Neymar's relationship with the group as part of his decision to take him to the tournament in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The manager did not confirm, however, whether he will start.

'The assessment has been purely physical in his case. Neymar can continue to improve his fitness before the first game, but we also took into account his experience in this type of competition, the affection the group have for him, the environment he can help create and what can bring out the best in him' — the boss said on Monday.

With the call-up confirmed, Neymar is not expected to feature for Santos again before joining the Brazil squad at their Granja Comary training base on Monday 25 May. There are concerns about the risk of another injury — the kind that ruled him out of Dorival Junior's last squad in March 2025, the most recent occasion he had been included for an international window before Monday.

The announcement, greeted with euphoria by those gathered at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro, means Neymar joins Pele, Ronaldo Fenomeno, Cafu and Nilton Santos among the select group to have appeared at four World Cups.