On Tuesday morning (May 19), the 26-man squad was officially announced, which will represent Brazil at the FIFA World Cup to be held this upcoming summer in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Also officially part of this squad is Neymar, who, despite all the recent chatter, is preparing for his fourth World Cup tournament.
Shortly after the squad announcement, the national team manager of the Seleção, Carlo Ancelotti explained the reasons he called up the former Barcelona star to the World Cup, and was clear about the role he is expected to play.
“He is a key player, and will be a key player at this World Cup. He will have the same responsibilities as the other 25 players. He may play or not, he may be a starter or come off the bench.”.
Regarding the impact Neymar could have in the locker room, the Italian manager emphasized: “He can help build a good team atmosphere and bring out the best in everyone. I don’t want stars, I want players who are willing to help the team win matches. I see him playing with more focus. I want to be clear, straightforward, and honest: he will play only if he earns the right to play.”.
Additionally, when asked about his role on the team, Ancelotti clarified: “Neymar has the same role as all the other players: to contribute. It’s important that we don’t center all our expectations on one single player. All of our focus should be on helping the team win the World Cup.”.
Finally, when asked why João Pedro — who is having an exceptional season with Chelsea — was not selected, the 66-year-old manager avoided giving a direct answer, simply saying: “Trust me, I’m sorry for João Pedro. With the season he’s having, he probably deserved to go to the World Cup.
“However, with all due respect and given the intense competition, we selected other players ahead of him... But we truly feel bad for João Pedro. I’m sorry.”.