Boto slams Neymar call-up, hails Fla's Pedro: “15 goals, side can't score” | OneFootball

José Boto spoke to the Portuguese press about the Brazil National Team

Flamengo fans, in general, did not understand Pedro’s omission from the World Cup squad. But it wasn’t just the Nação. Flamengo’s football director, José Boto, also expected the number 9 to be at the tournament. In the interview, the Portuguese executive also blasted Neymar’s inclusion in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the Brazil National Team.

— I have some doubts about whether Neymar will play any matches at this World Cup. His season says that. Last year and this year say that. I feel very sorry, because I like him a lot. But he can’t manage one or two games in a row. Obviously, he is Neymar, but I can’t understand how a player who has, I don’t know, two matches in the last two months gets called up —, Boto began.

— And a player like ours, Pedro, who has 15 goals, the top scorer in the Brasileirão, in a team that has some difficulty scoring goals, doesn’t get called up. But those are the coach’s choices, and he will pay for them later, or not —, the director added in an interview with Portugal’s ‘Canal 11’.

WHAT ARE NEYMAR’S AND PEDRO’S NUMBERS IN 2026?

As highlighted by José Boto, the difference in Neymar’s and Pedro’s numbers is striking. In 2026, the Santos forward has six goals and four assists, but he has only managed to take the field on 15 occasions due to several injuries during the season.

Pedro, meanwhile, has found the net 19 times, with five assists, in 33 matches. In addition, the Flamengo idol has ten goals in the Brasileirão, making him the league’s second-leading scorer, behind only Athletico-PR’s Viveros, who has 11. Editor’s note: the figure of 15 goals mentioned by José Boto is incorrect.

WILL NEYMAR PLAY?

Out of Brazil’s first two World Cup matches with a calf injury, Neymar is hoping to make his debut next Wednesday (24) against Scotland, in the third round of the World Cup. After the win over Haiti, coach Carlo Ancelotti spoke about the number 10.

“Yes. Neymar will train individually tomorrow (Saturday), and then on Monday he will be with the team and will be ready for the match against Scotland,” the coach said at the press conference after the 3-0 win over Haiti in the United States.

AND PEDRO?

Left out of the World Cup, unfairly in José Boto’s view, Pedro returned to Flamengo last Friday (19) after 19 days of vacation. The striker also trained on Saturday (20) and will train on Sunday (21). On the 28th, the squad travels to Portugal, where a mid-season training camp will take place.

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