Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has broken his silence on Neymar’s retirement from international football. He recently defended his choice to include the veteran in his 2026 World Cup squad, and fans have been reacting.
Admitting that the Brazil captain’s physical preparation was a source of frustration ahead of the tournament, Ancelotti insisted that Neymar’s presence was vital for the Selecao at the World Cup.
Despite the early exit, Carlo maintained that the Santos forward definitely earned his place on the plane to North America.
His words, “I think he didn’t contribute on a technical level as it was hoped he could, because he couldn’t.
But, in terms of attitude, it was a very positive attitude. I have a lot of affection for him, I thanked him for his attitude, for his behavior, and I think it was the right decision to include him on the 26-man roster.
The only thing that bothered me is that Neymar could have prepared himself better during that lead-up period
He could have been ready for game one instead of game four. That was the only disappointing part.
I think that players like Neymar, who already commented yesterday, and with all due respect to his decision. I believe that in history, one generation ends and another has to come, and it has to be better than the last one.”
On ageing players like Casemiro and Alex Sandro, “I think so. It is a period that is coming to an end. Obviously, we have to thank all of them, and I have a lot of affection for all of them.
But I think the idea that a player over 30 is done means that we have to think about the future…. Some of these players will be there, obviously. Marquinhos, for example. Alisson, we’ll see.”
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