Brazil’s national team coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has spoken about Neymar’s situation, currently sidelined due to a long-term injury. The Italian coach, known for his outspokenness and deep understanding of modern football, discussed the conditions necessary for the player’s potential return to the Seleção. For Ancelotti, there’s no point in questioning the Brazilian’s talent: “There’s no point in watching Neymar play: everyone already knows his talent. What he needs to prove isn’t his technique, but his fitness. In modern football, to fully exploit one’s abilities, one must be at the peak of one’s physical condition.”
These words perfectly summarize the Italian coach’s philosophy. Experience and reputation are no longer enough: physical fitness has become the key to success at the highest level. Ancelotti also revealed that he had spoken personally with the player: “I told him he has time to recover and to help the national team reach its best level at the World Cup. Everyone wants to see Neymar at his full potential.”
Neymar, 33, is going through a difficult period. After leaving Paris Saint-Germain to join Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, he suffered a serious knee injury in October 2023 during a match with the Brazilian national team. Since then, he has been undergoing rehabilitation but has yet to return to competition. This situation is worrying fans and observers of world football. Once considered the natural successor to Pelé, Neymar has often seen his career hampered by recurring injuries and off-field controversies. Yet, his influence on the game remains undeniable when he is at 100% of his capacity.
Carlo Ancelotti, who will take the reins of Brazil for the 2026 World Cup, seems to want to establish a clear rule: only physically fit and mentally focused players will have a place in the squad. The message to Neymar is therefore clear: talent alone is not enough. To have any hope of playing again in the yellow jersey, he will have to regain his best physical condition and prove that he can once again be decisive at the highest level. “Neymar remains an extraordinary player, but he needs to get back to his best. When he’s at his peak, he changes the face of any team,” added Ancelotti during his press conference.
The Italian coach, known for his management of big stars at Real Madrid, AC Milan, and PSG, seems to want to apply the same rigor with the Seleção. While Neymar focuses on his rehabilitation, Brazil continues to evolve and rebuild. Young talents like Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo Goes, Endrick, and Raphinha are now taking center stage. This new generation embodies the Seleção’s renewal, with a faster, more collective style of play, resolutely focused on the future. Ancelotti, who has already worked with some of them at Real Madrid, knows their qualities and potential perfectly. He wants to build a balanced team capable of competing with the best European nations. In this context, Neymar’s return must be seamlessly integrated into an already well-established dynamic.
“We have an exceptional generation of young players, but the experience of a player like Neymar remains invaluable. He brings the creativity, confidence, and audacity that are part of the DNA of Brazilian football,” explained the Italian coach. If Neymar regains his form, he could become the spiritual guide of this young team, a role that would allow him to pass on his experience while lightening his workload on the pitch. It would be a natural transition for a player who, despite the criticism, remains the third-highest scorer in Brazilian history, behind Pelé and Ronaldo.
Carlo Ancelotti’s comments also highlight the evolution of modern football, where physical and mental preparation has become as important as technique. Overloaded schedules, travel, and international competitions demand exemplary discipline from athletes. In Neymar’s case, this means a complete recovery, without rushing. The goal is to return to full fitness before 2025, in order to be ready for the World Cup qualifiers.
Brazilian fans hope to see him return to his role as an artist, capable of creating magic with a pass or a dribble, but this time with greater consistency. The challenge for Ancelotti is clear: to find the right balance between talent and sustained performance. The Italian coach wants to avoid the mistakes of the past, where Brazil sometimes relied too heavily on Neymar’s individual genius at the expense of the team. The message addressed to his star player is both firm and benevolent: he still believes in him, but he wants to see him become a complete athlete again, ready to give everything for his country.
