Ancelotti’s Conditions Holding Neymar Back from Brazil Call-up

Brazil’s five-time World Cup winners will play two friendly matches in November during this year’s final FIFA international window. For these fixtures, head coach Carlo Ancelotti has named a 26-man squad, and once again, Neymar Jr. has been left out. It appears that Neymar’s chances of featuring in the 2026 World Cup are all but over, according to Ancelotti.

During the announcement of the squad for the friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia, the Brazilian manager addressed questions from the press regarding Neymar’s absence. Ancelotti stated: “I have spoken with Neymar again. Let’s see when he can return from injury. To play a full World Cup, a player needs to be in peak physical condition. I will not include any player in the squad if they are not fully fit.”

The former Real Madrid coach went on to add: “We need players who will be in top physical shape. There’s no need to test Neymar, everyone knows the quality he brings. But before he can return to the national team, he needs to be fit. If he’s not in good physical condition, he won’t be able to help the team.”

In Neymar’s absence, several new faces have been included in the Brazil squad. Fabinho has been called up for the first time since the 2022 World Cup, along with Bahia defender Luciano Juba and Palmeiras’ promising young forward Vitor Roque.

Ancelotti expressed optimism about the new players: “I want to observe some new players in these matches, such as Fabinho, Luciano Juba, and Vitor Roque. They are all having great seasons. There are now seven players from the Brazilian league in the squad, which shows the quality of the league. In these two matches, we want to lay a more solid foundation for the national team.”

The two upcoming friendlies for Brazil will be against African nations. On 15th November, Ancelotti’s side will face Senegal at the Emirates Stadium in London, followed by a match against Tunisia on 18th November at the Decathlon Stadium in Lille, France. Both Tunisia and Senegal have qualified for the 2026 World Cup from the African continent, and these fixtures are seen as an important opportunity for Brazilian players to gain valuable experience ahead of the next World Cup.

Brazil Squad for Friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia: