Messi Urges Ancelotti to Include Neymar in 2026 World Cup Squad

Lionel Messi publicly urged Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti to include Neymar in the national team's squad for the 2026 World Cup, calling the Santos forward one of the world's best players despite his recent injury struggles.

In a recent interview on the "Lo del Pollo" show with Pollo Alvarez, the Inter Miami and Argentina star, who turns 39 during the tournament, emphasized Neymar's enduring quality. "We want the best players to be there at the World Cup and Neymar, no matter his form, will always be one of them," Messi said. "It would be wonderful to see him at the World Cup because of what he means to Brazil and to football." Messi acknowledged his personal bias, noting their friendship from four seasons together at Barcelona from 2013 to 2017 and two at Paris Saint-Germain from 2021 to 2023. "I can't be objective. Neymar is a friend. Obviously, I'd love for him to be at the World Cup, for good things to happen to him because he deserves it for the kind of person he is."

Neymar, Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 128 caps, has not played for his country since October 2023, when he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus damage while at Al-Hilal in...