'It was the right decision!' - Carlo Ancelotti defends Neymar World Cup call-up as Brazil legend officially retires from international football

Neymar has officially brought the curtain down on his illustrious 16-year international career. The 34-year-old’s decision comes in the wake of a painful World Cup round of 16 elimination against Norway. Despite the early exit, Brazil head coach Ancelotti remained firm that the former Barcelona man earned his place on the plane to North America.

The Italian coach acknowledged the challenges Neymar faced, particularly regarding his match fitness and a grade 2 calf strain that saw him miss the opening group stage fixtures against Morocco and Haiti. "I think he didn’t contribute on a technical level as it was hoped he could, because he couldn’t," Ancelotti told ESPN. "But, in terms of attitude, it was a very positive attitude. I have a lot of affection for him, I thanked him for his attitude, for his behavior, and I think it was the right decision to include him on the 26-man roster."

While the manager praised Neymar’s leadership and professionalism behind the scenes, he did not hide his disappointment regarding the star’s physical condition leading into the tournament.

"The only thing that bothered me is that Neymar could have prepared himself better during that lead-up period," Ancelotti added. "He could have been ready for game one instead of game four. That was the only disappointing part."

With his talismanic number 10 now out of the picture, Ancelotti is looking toward a total program rebuild ahead of the 2030 World Cup. The transition marks a significant shift in Brazilian football philosophy, moving away from a reliance on the icons of the 2010s and toward the next wave of talent.

"I think that players like Neymar, who already commented yesterday, and with all due respect to his decision. I believe that in history, one generation ends and another has to come, and it has to be better than the last one," the former Real Madrid boss stated.

Neymar is not the only high-profile figure expected to exit the international stage. Ancelotti hinted that several other mainstays of the Brazil national team could be reaching the end of the road.

When asked about the futures of Casemiro, Danilo, and Alex Sandro, Ancelotti gave a candid response regarding the aging squad. "I think so. It is a period that is coming to an end. Obviously, we have to thank all of them, and I have a lot of affection for all of them. But I think the idea that a player over 30 is done means that we have to think about the future.... Some of these players will be there, obviously. Marquinhos, for example. Alisson, we’ll see."