Carlo Ancelotti not planning to call Neymar up to Brazil squad for March friendlies

According to ESPN, the early state championship exit has not technically pushed Neymar further away from the squad, but it echoes a pre-existing decision. The reality is that the former Barcelona and PSG superstar was never part of the initial plan for the upcoming high-profile friendlies. Ancelotti is focused on a specific rebuilding process that prioritises physical readiness over reputation, especially as the 2026 World Cup looms large on the horizon.

Brazil are scheduled to travel to the United States for two significant tests against France and Croatia in March. These fixtures, set to take place in Boston and Orlando, are viewed as the final laboratory for Ancelotti before he has to commit to his tournament roster. However, the Italian tactician has decided that Neymar will not be part of this specific window, preferring to let the attacker find his rhythm at club level following his recovery from a long-term injury lay-off.

Everyone at the CBF is monitoring Neymar's situation and his evolution on the pitch, but the planning was never to have him in the final commitments before the ultimate call-up. The expectation was that the attacker would return gradually in February, regain rhythm after injury, and evolve for Santos before being remembered by the national team again. For Ancelotti, the priority remains seeing how other components of the squad gel without the traditional focal point of the attack.

Unlike some of his predecessors, Ancelotti is reportedly showing no signs of desperation regarding the 34-year-old’s availability. The Italian manager has maintained a transparent stance on what is required for a return to the yellow jersey, insisting on elite physical conditioning. According to evaluations by Ancelotti's technical staff, it is not necessary to see how Neymar would fit into the national team group. That is not under debate. The plan remains the same as before: to evaluate, in May, if the star is in physical condition to compete in the World Cup in the way Brazil needs.

Ancelotti has consistently kept the door open for the Santos man, but only on the condition that he can deliver what is physically expected of a modern international player. Everything will depend on the evolution until the days before the final call-up. If Neymar is physically and technically well, he will be considered. Otherwise, he will miss the chance to compete in the fourth World Cup of his career following his appearances in 2014, 2018, and 2022.

While the Brazilian public remains obsessed with the legendary forward, the coaching staff is quietly working on more pressing personnel issues within the squad. There are still major question marks surrounding the depth of the team, particularly in the defensive sectors. Despite the clamour for the star, the momentary focus of the commission is on seeking solutions for positions that are still open in the squad: both full-backs, the backups for Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhaes in central defence, the substitute for Bruno Guimaraes, and also the definition of the attackers.

The March window is specifically designed to provide answers to these tactical puzzles rather than serving as a homecoming for the national icon. It is to solve these doubts that Ancelotti and company will use the friendlies on 26 and 31 March. The technical staff believe that they already know what Neymar brings to the table, and therefore, use of this time is better spent evaluating the fringes of the roster. As for the superstar's inclusion in the summer plans, the final decision has been pushed back to May.