Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has said that Neymar’s omission from his latest squad was a deliberate technical decision.
He recently confirmed that the former Barcelona and PSG forward was not excluded because of his fitness.
Speaking to the press ahead of Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Chile, Ancelotti revealed that Neymar’s absence is down to too many factors.
According to him, while Neymar wasn’t ignored because of his fitness, physical condition remains central to his evaluation of all the players in the national team pool.
He stated that, regardless of his lack of call-up, Neymar’s technical ability cannot be questioned.
“It was a technical decision based on many factors.
Nobody can question Neymar’s technical ability. What we assess every day, and for every match, is physical fitness. That applies not just to him, but to everyone,” he said.
Ancelotti further noted that he already has a clear picture of the squad he wants for the 2026 World Cup, and he’ll prefer to work with footballers who are all about the team.
He concluded by saying that the Brazilian players who make it to the World Cup team will have to be in top condition to fit into his philosophy seamlessly.
“We’ll look at quality, yes, but also at being 100 percent fit and being able to play for the team rather than individually,” he added.
