"He has six months to convince me" - Carlo Ancelotti reveals if Neymar will be called up for the World Cup
The next six months will be decisive for Neymar.
Details: Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti, in his pre-match interview ahead of the game against Tunisia, addressed questions from journalists. One of the hot topics was the potential participation of 33-year-old Santos midfielder Neymar in the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
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Ancelotti did not rule out the possibility that Neymar could still be called up, but made it clear that the invitation must be earned:
"He is one of the players who could take part in the World Cup. There are six months left before the final squad is named; he has time to convince me. We'll have to monitor him and the others to make sure we make no mistakes when making the final call-up. Everyone believes this team has tremendous potential. Brazilians, Italians... We need to work to make everyone’s World Cup dreams come true."
Tomorrow, Brazil will host Tunisia in a friendly on home soil. Brazil has also secured a direct ticket to the 2026 World Cup, finishing fifth in the qualifying group stage with 28 points.
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Kenley Ward
Dailysports's expert