Report: Neymar ‘practically ruled out’ of Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad by Carlo Ancelotti

São Paulo – Neymar’s path to a farewell World Cup appearance in 2026 has all but closed. Multiple sources within the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) now concede that the 34-year-old Santos forward is “practically ruled out” of coach Carlo Ancelotti’s final squad for the tournament in North America, a dramatic fall from grace for the nation’s former talisman.

The March international window confirmed the trend. When Ancelotti unveiled his 23-man list for upcoming friendlies, Neymar’s name was conspicuously absent for the second consecutive gathering. The Italian cited lingering fitness issues as the decisive factor, a stance reinforced when Neymar sat out Santos’ 1-1 draw with Cruzeiro last weekend. Although club coach Cuca described the omission as precautionary “load management” inside a congested seven-day schedule, national-team officials interpreted the development as further evidence that the forward’s body can no longer withstand the cadence of elite competition.

Ancelotti and his assistants had already travelled more than five hours each way to Mirassol specifically to evaluate Neymar in early February. The player never left the bench that evening; CBF insiders viewed the no-show as a breach of the unwritten commitment expected of aspirants to the Seleção. Combined with Neymar’s public pleas for inclusion—statements the federation believes were calculated to pressure the coaching staff—relations between the player and the governing body have soured.

“His chances are zero,” CNN Brasil reporter João Vitor Xavier said after consulting federation sources. “The medical department no longer believes he can recover the explosiveness required for a World Cup rhythm.”

Neymar returned to Santos in February precisely to escape the physical demands of European football and accumulate minutes ahead of 2026. With 15 Brasileirão fixtures remaining before Ancelotti must submit his provisional roster, every matchday has become an audition. Yet Santos’ battle against relegation and Neymar’s intermittent availability have complicated the narrative. Club officials privately acknowledge that managing his knee, ankle and overall match load remains a week-to-week puzzle.

Off the pitch, the rift has widened. Neymar’s father has openly questioned Ancelotti’s motives, while veteran striker Romário weighed in, urging the coach to “respect what Neymar has given the country.” Such interventions appear only to have hardened the CBF’s position; senior figures now see the forward’s media campaign as an attempt to turn fan sentiment against both the federation and the coach.

Time is running out. Once the domestic season ends, Brazil will stage a brief pre-tournament camp before departing for the United States, Canada and Mexico. Barring an abrupt reversal, Neymar will watch the competition as a spectator, closing the international chapter on a career that once promised to challenge the Seleção’s all-time scoring records.

For the moment, Ancelotti’s message is unambiguous: the Seleção will head to North America banking on youth, durability and tactical cohesion—qualities the coaching staff no longer believes its former No. 10 can guarantee.