Brazil lost 2-1 to France at Gillette Stadium in one of two friendlies leading up to the FIFA World Cup. However, Neymar’s absence from the roster continues to draw attention, and a new voice has entered the debate: Jos Mourinho.
The Portuguese coach openly questioned Carlo Ancelotti’s decision not to include him in his squad for the two games, comparing him to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Coach Mu sends message to Carlet and defends Neymar
After Verde Amarela lost to Didier Deschamps’ side thanks to goals from Kylian Mbapp and Hugo Ekitike, Mourinho did not hesitate to criticize the decision, comparing the magnitude of his absence to that of the Portuguese and the Albiceleste captain.
“Imagine if Portugal had not called up Cristiano Ronaldo, or Argentina had not called up Lionel Messi,” Mourinho said, according to Diario de Peixe.
Brazil’s national team manager has decided that Neymar will be absent from the friendly match between France and Croatia (to be played at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium on March 31) because he is not “100%” physically due to a muscle strain. However, he did not rule out the possibility of including the Santos icon in the final squad for the World Cup.
This will extend his absence from the national team, as he has not played for Canarinha since October 17, 2023, when he injured his knee in a South American qualifying match against Uruguay.
But Muu’s comments came after others, including Romario, Ronaldo Nazario and Cuff, questioned the decision. Rodrigo Goes and Vini Junior are both supportive of Neymar’s inclusion in the team, especially with an eye on the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Hundreds of fans also cheered on No. 10 during the match, chanting “Ol, ol, ol, ol, Neymar, Neymar!” to show support for the Brazilian star.
Meanwhile, the final squad for the World Cup will be announced on May 19, so Ney has just over 10 games left to prove to Caret that not only is he in top physical condition, but he can make a difference to the team.
