WWith less than 100 days left until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti has not yet decided whether Neymar Jr. will be among the players who will travel to the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
However, Carlet also has his sights set on two pre-tournament friendlies, against France in Boston on March 26th and Croatia in Orlando on March 31st. The Santos star was reported to be on the provisional list of players to be called up, but the injury could affect his future.
Neymar’s return to Brazil is in jeopardy
The 66-year-old coach, together with the rest of the coaching staff, was scheduled to attend the Brasileirão Matchday 5 match between Mirasol and Santos on Tuesday, March 10, to observe the performance of the number 10, before confirming his name on Monday, March 16.
However, according to Mundo Deportivo, manager Ancelotti will not be able to watch Ney play as he missed the match due to a muscle strain caused by exhaustion during training. Neymar and the team decided not to expose his body to other matches to prevent the setback from escalating or getting worse.
Nevertheless, the Brazilian star is expected to be ready for this Sunday’s game against Corinthians if he rests and continues to monitor his fitness, and Carlet’s call-up should remain the same even if the manager decides to do so, as he has not changed his plans and is expected to play in the match.
The player, who will turn 34 before the tournament, has not played for the Brazilian national team since suffering a serious knee injury in the South American qualifier against Uruguay on October 17, 2023, which kept him off the field for more than a year. Since then, the Brazilian has had a long journey marked by physical problems and a recovery process.
A new injury is currently affecting him, but fortunately the necessary precautions have been taken and it is hoped that he will not be sidelined for too long.
These friendlies, to be played later this month, will serve as preparation for the World Cup. The World Cup is a tournament that Neymar dreams of participating in, as it could be the last of his career. However, Ancelotti has repeatedly insisted that all players must be at “100%, not 80%” to be called up.
In the meantime, we will have to wait and see if Nei eventually returns to play for the Brazilian national team.
