Gazeta Esportiva.com
·23 de febrero de 2026
Neymar has three games to earn a place in Ancelotti’s Brazil squad

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Yahoo sportsGazeta Esportiva.com
·23 de febrero de 2026

With Santos being eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Campeonato Paulista last Sunday, against Novorizontino, Neymar will have fewer opportunities to impress Carlo Ancelotti. The attacking midfielder will have only three matches before the call-up for the last FIFA Date before the 2026 World Cup.
Ancelotti will announce, on March 16, the squad list for the friendlies against France and Croatia, in the United States. Until then, Santos will face Vasco (February 26, at Vila Belmiro), Mirassol (March 10, away), and Corinthians (March 15, again at Vila). All matches will be in the Brazilian Championship.
Neymar has not yet been called up to the National Team since Ancelotti's arrival. His last appearance with the Seleção was in October 2023, when he suffered a serious knee injury. Since then, he has been trying to regain his place.
The return to Santos, in 2025, was aimed at regaining match fitness and trying to secure a spot in the World Cup, a goal the player has already stated publicly.
In 2026, the number 10 has played only two matches: he came on in the second half of the 6-0 win over Velo Clube and started in the 2-1 loss to Novorizontino. Against Tigre, in fact, he ended up being one of the villains by losing the ball in the play that led to the rivals’ first goal.
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