Ancelotti Overlooks Neymar, Selects Endrick, Igor Thiago For France, Croatia’s Friendlies

Carlo Ancelotti has left Neymar out of his Brazil squad and handed maiden call-ups to Gabriel Sara, Igor Thiago and Rayan. Endrick earned a recall for the glamour friendlies against France and Croatia, which will be the Seleção’s last tests before the Italian names his final list for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, but there was disappointment for, among others, Andre, Antony, Carlos Augusto, Fabricio Bruno, Gerson, Hugo Souza, Igor Jesus, Joao Gomes, Joelinton, Kaio Jorge, Lucas Paqueta, Paulo Henrique, Richarlison and Vitor Roque.

The likes of Alexsandro, Bruno Guimaraes, Eder Militao and Estevao missed out due to injury or lack of match fitness. Rodrygo has been ruled out of the global finals after tearing the ACL in his right knee.

Neymar’s World Cup hopes hit
Whether Ancelotti will take Neymar to the World Cup has been monopolising and polarising Brazil, as was the case with Mario Zagallo and Romario ahead of France 1998. The ludicrously gifted attacker hasn’t represented his country since tearing his ACL against Uruguay in 2023.

Neymar has consistently expressed his desperation to go to the tournament, but has struggled with hamstring and knee injuries over the last year. Since returning from his latest spell on the sidelines, Neymar has registered two goals and two assists in four appearances for Santos.

“Neymar might make the World Cup, but he also might not. If he’s not 100 per cent, he won’t be there. If he can get to 100 per cent, he might be called up.

“Right now, he’s not. As I said, there’s a final list [to come]. Neymar has to keep working, playing, showing his qualities and staying in good shape physically.”

An 18-year-old Neymar was controversially overlooked by Dunga for the South Africa 2010. At his first global finals, on home soil in 2014, the Mogi das Cruzes native sizzled before suffering a fractured vertebra in a quarter-final win over Colombia. In his absence, Brazil were annihilated 7-1 by Germany. The South Americans then lost 2-1 to Belgium in the last eight of Russia 2018 and, despite a Neymar wonder goal, on penalties to Croatia at the same stage of Qatar 2022.