Santos back Neymar for Copa do Brasil, hope to share his dream | OneFootball

Although Neymar was not called up for the March FIFA window — the last one before Carlo Ancelotti’s final list for the 2026 World Cup — Santos remains confident that the number 10 can still reach the World Cup in ideal condition.

The Italian coach was clear in stating that he will only call up players at their physical peak, acknowledging that Neymar is still “not 100%.” Even so, within the club, the understanding is that the star still has every chance to win back his place in the Brazilian National Team.

At 34 years old, he has ahead of him a three-month window and 16 matches for Santos before the World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Neymar stated that he is “upset and sad” about being left out of the friendlies against France and Croatia, and he does not hide his desire to play in his fourth World Cup.

To make Ancelotti’s list, the forward will need to prove on the field that he has once again reached his highest level. At Santos, this mission is seen as positive for both the club and the National Team. The team is counting on Neymar to achieve its goals in the Brasileirão, Copa do Brasil, and the Copa Sudamericana.

Monitored Recovery

When he returned to Santos in January 2025, the plan was clear: to recover the player physically and technically so that he could become a protagonist again and, naturally, win back his place in the National Team. However, injuries throughout 2025 delayed part of this process. Now, after the surgery performed in December, the medical department is strictly following a specific schedule to ensure he reaches his physical peak without risk of new injuries.

The club believes it has all the necessary facilities at CT Rei Pelé to help him.

Ancelotti’s final call-up will be on May 18, and until then, Santos will have 10 confirmed matches in the Brasileirão, in addition to commitments in the Copa Sudamericana and Copa do Brasil that have yet to be scheduled.

The logic at the club is simple: with Neymar healthy and playing at a high level, everyone wins — Santos and the Brazilian National Team.

Confirmed Santos Matches

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.