Carlo Ancelotti cut straight to the point on Monday and left Neymar out of Brazil’s squad for friendlies against France national football team and Croatia national football team. The Brazil boss cited fitness, not form, and made it clear the forward still sits short of full sharpness.
He did not dress it up. Ancelotti said Neymar “is not 100 percent,” a blunt assessment that shuts down any debate about selection politics. The line sounds clinical, but it also protects a player still piecing himself together after a brutal knee injury.
That injury still shapes the narrative. Neymar has not featured for Brazil since October 2023, and although he has returned to club action with Santos, he has only just started rebuilding rhythm. Four matches do not restore international intensity.
So Ancelotti pivoted. He handed a recall to Endrick, a 19-year-old forward who has surged back into relevance after a productive loan spell at Lyon. The move signals a shift toward energy and vertical threat rather than reliance on a recovering superstar.
That shift extends across the squad. Injuries ruled out Rodrygo and Bruno Guimarães, forcing further tweaks. Ancelotti responded by injecting fresh options, including uncapped attackers Igor Thiago and Rayan, both eager to press and run rather than wait for the game.
This looks deliberate. Brazil do not need control-heavy, slow-build football in friendlies. They need tempo, transitions and a sharper press, especially against France and Croatia, sides that punish hesitation.
Ancelotti also kept one eye on the bigger prize. He hinted Neymar’s story does not end here. He said the World Cup squad “is another story,” a phrase that leaves the door open while avoiding premature guarantees.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool/ENG), Bento (Al-Nassr/KSA), Ederson (Fenerbahce/TUR)
Defenders: Alex Sandro (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus/ITA), Danilo (Flamengo), Douglas Santos (Zenith Saint-Petersburg/RUS), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal/ENG), Ibanez (Al-Ahli/KSA), Leo Pereira (Flamengo), Marquinhos (Paris SG/FRA), Wesley (Roma/IT)
Midfielders: Andrey Santos (Chelsea/ENG), Casemiro (Manchester United/ENG), Danilo (Botafogo) Fabinho (Al-Ittihad/KSA), Gabriel Sara (Galarasaray/TUR)
Forwards: Endrick (Lyon/FRA), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal/ENG), Igor Thiago (Brentford/ENG), Joao Pedro (Chelsea/ENG), Luiz Henrique (Zenith Saint-Petersburg/RUS), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United/ENG), Raphinha (Barcelona/ESP), Rayan (Bournemouth/ENG), Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid/ESP)
