CBF president says Neymar's World Cup call-up depends on Ancelotti | OneFootball

CBF president Samir Xaud said in an interview this Thursday, before the Brazil National Team friendly against France in Boston, that the decision to call up Neymar for the 2026 World Cup is “up to” coach Carlo Ancelotti.

“I see it calmly. The staff and Ancelotti are working, not only on Neymar, but on all the players. The best ones, the fittest ones, will go. It’s up to the mister. I’ve already said he has 100% autonomy, so the responsibility is his,” Samir told SporTV.

The executive also spoke about Brazil’s turbulent cycle since the elimination against Croatia in the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He said he trusts Ancelotti’s work and hopes the team arrives at the Cup in the best possible shape.

“We joined a cycle that was already underway. I arrived one day, Ancelotti the next. We’ve had a little over ten months of work, but we really believe in what is being done. I’ve been following it closely, and we hope to arrive in the best possible way. We hope to grow and improve during the competition,” he commented.

Neymar was left out of the squad for the friendlies against France and Croatia because of his physical condition. In Ancelotti’s view, the Santos attacking midfielder is not “100% physically fit.”

The star still has time to convince the coach that he deserves to be taken to the World Cup. The squad for the tournament will be announced by the Italian on May 18, less than two months from now.

Schedule until the World Cup

Brazil’s squad for the 2026 World Cup will be announced by Carlo Ancelotti on May 18. On the 25th, the group will begin preparations for the tournament at Granja Comary, in Teresópolis, Rio de Janeiro.

The national team’s last match on home soil will be on May 31, against Panama, at the Maracanã. The delegation will travel to the United States on June 1 and will have one final test before the start of the World Cup, against Egypt in Cleveland on the 6th.

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Brazil is in Group C of the World Cup. The group also includes Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland.

Brazil’s debut will be on June 13 against Morocco in New Jersey. Six days later, on June 19, the team will face Haiti in Philadelphia. The Canarinho will wrap up its group-stage campaign on the 24th against Scotland in Miami.

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