Carlo Ancelotti Confirmed Neymar Will Stay in Brazil World Cup Squad Despite Injury

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has ruled out any changes to his FIFA World Cup squad, confirming that Neymar will remain part of his plans despite fresh concerns over the forward's fitness.

Speaking ahead of Brazil's tournament campaign, Ancelotti said the squad submitted for the competition would remain unchanged, even though Neymar is currently recovering from a muscle injury that is expected to keep him out of action for the immediate future.

The 33-year-old joined the national team after being named in Brazil's final 26-man group, but subsequent medical assessments revealed a grade-two strain in his right calf. The setback has cast doubt over his availability for the opening stages of the tournament.

Ancelotti, however, made it clear that Brazil have no intention of replacing the former Santos and Paris Saint-Germain forward. When questioned about whether the injury would have affected his original selection, the Italian responded with a joke.

"If my grandad had wheels, he'd be a car," he said.

The coach explained that Neymar's condition became clearer only after he reported to the national-team camp, with medical evaluations continuing under the supervision of the Brazilian Football Confederation.

Carlo Ancelotti backs Neymar's World Cup involvement

While Neymar is unlikely to be considered for Brazil's first group-stage match against Morocco on June 13, Ancelotti remains optimistic about his chances of featuring later in the competition.

"We thought he might be fit for the first World Cup match," Ancelotti said.

"If he's not fit for the first match, he'll be fit for the second. So we have no doubt about it.

"I'm not going to make any changes. The 26 players selected are the ones who will play in the World Cup."

Neymar has not represented Brazil since suffering a serious knee injury in October 2023 and has been sidelined again since May 17 because of the latest calf problem. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his immediate availability, Brazil's coaching staff continue to view him as part of their plans for the tournament.

Brazil begin their World Cup campaign against Morocco before taking on Haiti on June 18 and Scotland on June 23 in the remaining group-stage fixtures.