TThe controversy surrounding Neymar Junior’s absence from coach Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for Brazil’s friendlies against France and Croatia on March 26 and March 31, respectively, has been a hot topic among players, analysts and football legends.
Romulio de Sousa Faria, a symbol of Verde Amarera, did not hide his opposition to Carletto’s position.
Romulio supports Ney
The Italian coach has repeatedly said that Neymar (or any other player) will only be called up if he is fit and “100%” healthy. The truth is that the Santos forward just missed the game against Mirasol due to a muscle strain, and then played in two consecutive games (against Corinthians and Internacional), but he and his coach Cuca decided not to play against Cruzeiro to avoid further serious injury.
Furthermore, the lack of continuity with Canarinha is also an important factor. He suffered a serious knee injury in the South American qualifying match against Uruguay and has not played for the Brazilian national team since October 17, 2023.
But while Ancelotti appears to be prioritizing the fitness of his players and a new generation of players such as Raphinha, Vini and Endrik, the 1994 World Cup champion believes he is wasting his most powerful weapon. “Star players must play,” Romulio began in a statement to Jornal O Dia (via GOAL).
“The national team is where the best and most talented players come together. The preparation period for the World Cup is one month, which is enough time for the players to recover physically and technically, get into the rhythm of the game and build chemistry with the group,” the former striker insisted.
He also explained that it was better to bring in a star player like Neymar “even if he’s not 100%” rather than “bringing in another player”, insisting that the team could not do without him, his talent and his contribution to the team.
“I still hope that Neymar will prove on the field at the Brazilian Championship that he deserves to be in the final squad and take home a sixth World Cup title,” he said, giving full confidence to the 34-year-old star and asserting that without him, their chances of becoming champions would be diminished.
However, Romulio used the opportunity to send a powerful message to his manager, vowing that his support and heart will be in Brazil even if Ancelotti decides not to include Ney in his squad for the 2026 World Cup.
I want to be clear: I fully support Neymar’s transfer, but even if he doesn’t go, I will continue to support the Hexa’s victory. But the message is clear. “Please be careful, sir!”
For this tournament, Brazil will be placed in Group C along with Morocco, Haiti and Scotland. They will make their debut against Morocco on Saturday, June 13th at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. They will then face Haiti at Soldier Field in Philadelphia on Friday, June 19th, and Scotland at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Wednesday, June 24th.
Ahead of that, there are friendlies scheduled for which Ney will not play, including a match against France in Boston on March 26th and Croatia in Orlando on March 31st.
Before the tournament, they will bid farewell to the home crowd on May 31st against Panama in Malacan, before facing Egypt on June 6th in Cleveland.
Meanwhile, only time will tell whether Neymar will wear Brazil colors at the tournament.
