Neymar dumped by Brazil as Carlo Ancelotti makes reason clear: ‘Applies not just to him’

Neymar has been left out of Brazil’s squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Bolivia, despite the Santos superstar insisting that he’s fully recovered from an injury

Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that his decision to leave Neymar out of their latest squad wasn’t to do with fitness concerns, rowing back on his previous comments. Ancelotti, who took charge of Brazil in June, stated last week that Neymar’s omission was due to a ‘minor injury’.

The former Real Madrid boss added that he ‘didn’t need to test’ the forward, who ‘needed to be in a good physical condition’ in order to be considered for selection. But after playing the full 90 minutes in Santos’ 0-0 draw with Fluminense on Sunday, Neymar gave a different version of events.

« It was some swelling I had in my adductor, some discomfort, but it was nothing serious, so much so that I played today, » the 33-year-old explained. « I wasn’t going to play against Bahia anyway (August 24), so they preferred to save me some training sessions, to leave me out so I could recover.

« I was left out for technical reasons, it has nothing to do with my physical condition, it’s the coach’s opinion and I respect it. Since I’m out, we’ll just have to support the team. »

Now Ancelotti has given his true reason. « It was a technical decision based on many factors, » the Italian told a press conference ahead of Thursday’s clash with Chile.

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« Nobody can question Neymar’s technical ability. What we assess every day, and for every match, is physical fitness. That applies not just to him, but to everyone. »

Ancelotti also reiterated that he’d only call up players who fit into his system as opposed to the best individuals. « We’ll look at quality, yes, but also at being 100 percent fit and being able to play for the team rather than individually, » he continued.

Since rejoining boyhood club Santos earlier this year, Neymar has made 20 appearances, scoring six goals and providing three assists. The ex-Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain superstar returned to Brazil after an injury-ravaged spell in Saudi Arabia with Al-Hilal.

Will Neymar make the Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup? Give us your prediction in the comments section.

Ancelotti started his Brazilian adventure in June with a 0-0 draw away to surprise package Ecuador, who are second in the South American qualifying table. The Selecao then beat Paraguay 1-0 in Ancelotti’s first home game.

The victory ensured that Brazil are the only nation to have qualified for every World Cup from 1930 onwards. They welcome Chile to the Maracana on Thursday before travelling to Bolivia next Tuesday.

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