Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti has included Neymar in his preliminary 55-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, handing the veteran forward a significant boost in his bid to feature in a fourth World Cup. Argentina captain Lionel Messi has also been named in his country’s preliminary squad, with manager Lionel Scaloni officially submitting the list to FIFA on 11 May.
Neymar’s long road back
Neymar has been absent from the Brazil national team since October 2023, when he suffered a devastating ACL injury during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay. The road back has been long and difficult, and there were genuine doubts about whether he would ever recapture the form and fitness required to represent his country again at the highest level.
His return to Santos FC has provided encouraging signs. In 12 appearances since coming back to club football, Neymar has scored five goals and registered three assists, performances that have helped lift Santos up the league table and reminded observers of the quality that made him one of the most exciting players of his generation.
Ancelotti had previously been clear that only players at peak fitness would be considered for selection, and sources close to the Brazilian Football Confederation suggested the Italian had been cooling on the idea of making Neymar a focal point of his tactical plans, preferring the high-intensity approach of younger stars such as Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo. His inclusion on the preliminary list, however, confirms that the door remains firmly open for him to write one final chapter for his country on the grandest stage of all.
The final 26-man squad will be confirmed on 18 May. Until then, Neymar’s physical condition will be scrutinised intently, with Ancelotti maintaining his firm stance that fitness, not reputation, will determine who travels to North America.
Messi to lead Argentina once more
For Argentina, there is no such uncertainty surrounding the identity of their leader. Messi, who captained his country to the 2022 World Cup title in Qatar in what many considered the defining achievement of his legendary career, has been included in Scaloni’s preliminary 55-man roster and is widely expected to lead the defending champions once more.
The 37-year-old currently plays his club football for Inter Miami in MLS, and the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico carries a particular resonance given his deep connection to North America through his club commitments. The tournament will also offer Messi a chance to bow out of international football in the most fitting fashion possible, defending the title he so famously helped win in Lusail less than four years ago.
Messi had spoken warmly about Neymar’s potential involvement in the tournament in the lead-up to the squad announcement, saying the World Cup would be more interesting if the Brazilian forward was involved.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on 11 June across multiple cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico, making it the first tournament to be hosted across three nations. With both Neymar and Messi potentially featuring, the two greatest players of their era could yet share one final World Cup stage together.
