VIDEO: Neymar shares tearful reaction to Brazil World Cup call-up with partner Bruna Biancardi

Neymar was overcome with emotion after Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti confirmed his place in the 26-man squad. Taking to Instagram, the 34-year-old posted a moving video of himself crying alongside Biancardi and his entourage as his selection was announced.

He captioned the post: "My vision of one of the most emotional and happiest days of my life is already there on the YouTube channel AND THANK YOU, BRAZIL". The inclusion comes after a gruelling recovery from a torn ACL suffered in October 2023. Brazil's all-time leading scorer, who boasts 79 goals in 128 international caps, has remarkably proven his readiness for a fourth World Cup appearance.

Ancelotti faced scrutiny for selecting Neymar over in-form attackers, but the Italian manager fiercely defended his decision during a press conference in Rio de Janeiro. "He has improved his fitness," Ancelotti explained, as quoted by ESPN. "He will be an important player in this World Cup. He has experience in this kind of competition, the love of our group; he can create a better environment in this group. We chose Neymar not because we think he'll be a good substitute. We chose Neymar because we believe he can help the team, whether it's for one minute, five minutes, 90 minutes or even taking a penalty."

While the headlines belong to the Santos star, the squad announcement brought immense heartbreak for Joao Pedro. The 24-year-old had a stellar season, recording 15 goals and five assists in the Premier League, and reaching an impressive 25 goal involvements across all competitions. Despite this, Pedro shared his disappointment online: "I tried to give my best at all times. Unfortunately, it wasn't possible to fulfill this dream of representing my country in a World Cup, but I remain calm and focused, as I always try to be. Joys and frustrations are part of football. From now on, I wish good luck to everyone who is there."

Brazil will now shift collective focus towards their upcoming World Cup campaign in North America. Before kicking off their group stage journey against Morocco in New Jersey on June 13, the national team have scheduled two important warm-up fixtures against Panama and Egypt to finalise their tactical preparations.