Ancelotti: Fit Neymar Eligible for 2026 World Cup

Brazil national team coach Carlo Ancelotti has indicated that forward Neymar remains in contention for the 2026 FIFA World Cup squad, provided the 34-year-old demonstrates full fitness in the coming two months. The tournament, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, will mark a potential fourth appearance for the Santos striker, who has not featured for Brazil since sustaining a serious knee injury in October 2023 during a match against Uruguay.

Neymar's path to recovery has been marked by setbacks, including minor knee surgery in December 2024 and another procedure in March 2025. He returned to Santos earlier this year after a stint with Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia and has made limited appearances, starting just five league games this season while contributing three goals and two assists. Despite these contributions, his inconsistent playing time has raised questions about his readiness for international duty. Ancelotti, who took over as coach last year, has not included Neymar in recent call-ups, such as last month's friendlies against France and Croatia, where Brazil suffered a 2-1 defeat to the French in Boston.