Muricy: Neymar must go to Copa, Ronaldo is the example

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Gazeta Esportiva.com

·05 de dezembro de 2025

Muricy: Neymar must go to Copa, Ronaldo is the example

Current football coordinator for São Paulo, Muricy Ramalho believes that Neymar can be important for the Brazilian National Team in the 2026 World Cup. In an exclusive interview with TV Gazeta, the former Santos coach highlighted the genius of the 33-year-old player.

“I think Neymar will recover. I was with him on my birthday, we talked a lot. I encouraged him a lot. He's dealing with this little knee problem, playing through the pain at Santos, but it's something that can be resolved quickly, an arthroscopy is very quick. And his talent…”, he said.

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“He's a different guy. He improvises, does the simple with improvisation… we don't have a player like that anymore. We have good players, but not someone different. Now, Ancelotti is an experienced guy and is noticing this,” he declared.

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Neymar has been left out of all of Carlo Ancelotti's call-ups. The Italian coach believes that players must be 100% physically fit to wear the Brazilian jersey.

The attacking midfielder from Santos is suffering from injuries in this second stint at Santos. Currently, he has a left knee injury, but he is playing through the pain to help the club avoid relegation in the Brazilian Championship.

Muricy agrees with Ancelotti but mentioned some examples Neymar can follow. He recalled the case of Ronaldo Fenômeno, who overcame a severe knee injury to be one of the main highlights in Brazil's fifth World Cup victory.

“Ancelotti already said something I also agree with: he [Neymar] has to be 100%. Not 100%, but close. I always use Ronaldo Fenômeno as an example, I'm friends with him. That knee condition, which was on the patella, was nothing. Everyone said he wouldn't play football anymore, that there wouldn't be time to recover for the World Cup. That's why I say these different guys have to be careful. They want to win, do their best,” he stated.

“That's why I still believe in Neymar in this sense. Ronaldo shut himself off, no one believed. He got Filé, the physiotherapist, and worked, worked. No one believed, he proved them wrong: he became world champion and, for me, the best in the world. I believe in these stories, of these different guys,” he added.

“I think Neymar will do this [stop everything and focus on the World Cup]. I met him now, he's looking fit, man. His body is in good shape, well-structured. I think he will shut himself off too, because he knows he has the potential,” he concluded.

Scarce Position?

Muricy also revealed where he would position Neymar in the Brazilian National Team. The director acknowledges that the star no longer has the same speed as before when they worked together at Santos, but believes he can help in playmaking.

“Of course, today, he's changed his style of play a bit, the guy starts to get more experienced. Remember Muller? At the beginning here at São Paulo, he was a fast winger and became a midfielder who saw more than anyone. It's kind of like that with Neymar, he's changing his style of play. In the Brazilian National Team, imagine him serving all these good guys we have there: Vini Jr., Rodrygo… Him serving those guys, being a 10 behind the 9, an 8 and a half as they say…”, he analyzed.

“For me, if he plays in this system with two defensive midfielders and him behind the striker, who is the guy who sees the game, who is the intelligent one of the team, I think he would fit well. Ancelotti, with his experience, is certainly observing this, because he knows a lot about football,” he added.

“Now, it's in Neymar's hands. And now he scored three goals, he's all excited. I talked to him, he was all happy. I think he will prepare well because he wants this World Cup challenge,” Muricy concluded to TV Gazeta.