Is he really not fully fit? Ancelotti firmly disagrees with Neymar | OneFootball

Even without superstar Neymar, Brazil has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup. After the 3:0 victory against Chile, the duel with Bolivia is now due in the night to Wednesday (German time). But why is Neymar missing from the Seleção's squad?

The association explained that the attacker was not considered due to physical problems. However, Neymar himself sees it differently: "I think that I was left out is a tactical decision of the coach. This has nothing to do with my physical condition," he said shortly afterwards (quote via 'Sportbild').

This statement did not go without a response. Brazil's national coach Carlo Ancelotti questioned the fitness of the 32-year-old again, but remained diplomatic. At a press conference, he explained: "When I talk about physical criteria, it's something that is very important to the entire coaching staff. I have already said that no one can question Neymar's technical qualities."

At the same time, Ancelotti made it clear what really matters to him: "What we evaluate day by day, game by game, is his physical condition, and not only his, but that of all players here and all those we observe."

The 66-year-old thus also increased the pressure on the Brazil star. He estimated that, "the Brazilian national team has about 70 players who could participate in the World Cup." He also emphasized several times that the squad as a whole is very competitive.

Whether Neymar actually has to worry about his World Cup participation also depends on his performance at FC Santos. There, the traditional club is currently fighting against relegation in the first Brazilian league. In twelve games, Neymar collected four yellow cards - and only scored three times.

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

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