Zico sets Neymar challenge to make World Cup | OneFootball

With about four months until World Cup 2026, Neymar’s place under Carlo Ancelotti is still being debated in Brazil, and Zico has set out what the forward must do to be picked.

"This is the time to think only as a professional, to live for it. Forget everything else and focus on training, resting, preparing well and finding match sharpness. In football you must be 100% devoted to it, other things come second," said the Flamengo great, speaking to Cazé TV.

"Forget commercials and the rest of life for a period. The priority now has to be coming back well. These months can help him a lot, given his talent and quality, so drop everything and concentrate only on playing, preparing and resting to be right on the pitch," he added.

Brazil are fifth in the FIFA rankings and are seeded in Group C. They will face Morocco, Scotland and Haiti, with their opener against Morocco on 13 June.

Before then, Brazil play France on 26 March at Gillete Stadium in Boston, then Croatia on 31 March at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. The squad for those friendlies is due on 16 March, and Neymar is hoping to return after more than two years, having last featured in October 2023 against Uruguay.

Away from the national side, Flamengo visit Lanús on Thursday 19 in Argentina at 21:30 Brasília time in the first leg of the Recopa Sudamericana. The match will be shown on ESPN and Disney+.

Source: Coluna Do Fla