aAfter several days of speculation, manager Carlo Ancelotti has finally confirmed that Neymar will not feature in Brazil’s friendlies against France and Croatia on March 26 and March 31, respectively. This surprised not only the fans, but also the 34-year-old player himself.
His absence from the final FIFA window before the World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada has cast doubt on his participation in the tournament, but he admits it will be the last of his career.
Nei admits the inevitable
In a video shared on his official YouTube channel, the Brazilian posted a clip of himself receiving a massage while watching the manager’s press conference on his mobile phone. When Carletto finished naming players in his squad without mentioning Ney, the Santos star jokingly asked: “Hey, Ancelotti, what about me!?”
Understandably, he expressed sadness and frustration upon learning that his departure from the national team continues, as he has not played for Canarinha since October 17, 2023.
But at the beginning of the same video blog, the player said the truth that fans didn’t want to hear: “Obviously, this is my last World Cup,” Neymar said.
“I don’t know if it’s my last year with the national team, but it’s coming to an end and I have to accept that. I always tell my family and friends, ‘Enjoy it as much as you can and keep watching the games, because the end will come,'” he added.
Furthermore, in the same video, the Brazilian star denied the rumors and explained that the muscle strain he sustained before the match against Mirasol was not a serious injury and is a common occurrence in the world of football. He also asserted that the difference in his desire to recover is not whether he wears Santos colors or Brazil colors, but rather that he will always do his best to continue playing the sport he loves.
“I can help the national team in any way. I know my qualities, my power on the field and I know that I can contribute to the team,” Ney said confidently.
In the run-up to the World Cup, the coach did not rule out what he expects from him: “If he arrives at the next World Cup at 100%, he will be available. Why is he not on this list now? Because he is not 100%… The final list will be different. Neymar must continue to work and play and prove his quality while he is fit. It is a physical evaluation, not a technical evaluation,” said Ancelotti.
Meanwhile, we will have to wait to find out whether Neymar will eventually return to play for the Brazilian national team in the last World Cup.
