Ancelotti confirms Neymar’s place in Brazil’s World Cup squad despite fitness woes

The fitness of Neymar has long been the primary source of anxiety for the Brazilian public, but national team manager Carlo Ancelotti has moved to silence the skeptics. Despite the talismanic forward’s recent battles with recurring injuries, the Italian tactician has insisted that Neymar remains the cornerstone of his tactical vision for the upcoming World Cup.

Since moving to the Saudi Pro League, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star has faced a grueling road to recovery, leading many to wonder if his peak years were behind him. However, Ancelotti’s latest briefing suggests that the medical staff at the national camp are satisfied with the player’s trajectory and believe he will be at peak physical condition by time the tournament kicks off.

Ancelotti, who took the reins of the Selecao with the explicit goal of ending their long wait for a sixth star, believes that Neymar’s experience is irreplaceable. He argued that the playmaker’s presence on the pitch offers a psychological boost to the younger members of the squad, regardless of whether he is currently operating at one hundred percent capacity.

While Brazil boasts an array of attacking talent in the likes of Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo, the manager believes the 'number 10' provides a level of creative unpredictability that no other player in the pool can replicate. The management team has reportedly devised a specialized workload program to ensure Neymar does not suffer a setback during the final domestic stretch of the season.

Reports from the Brazil camp indicate that the forward has already begun light ball work, with a view to participating in the final round of international friendlies. Ancelotti’s public backing serves as a significant show of faith in a player who has often been the lightning rod for criticism during previous tournament exits.

As the countdown to the World Cup begins, the focus will remain firmly on the medical reports filtering out of Riyadh. For now, however, the message from the Brazilian dugout is clear: the Selecao are not planning for a future without their most famous son just yet.