Brazil is divided over Neymar; Romario takes a dig at Ancelotti without naming him: “That gentleman had better watch out…”

"Neymar not being called up? That gentleman had better watch out… the national team is for the best players. The Seleção is where the best and most talented players belong, and no manager should do without a player of Neymar’s calibre.He’d better watch out… it’s better to have a star like Neymar, even if he’s not 100%, than to call up just any other player. A star must play, always. I still hope to see Neymar prove on the pitch, in the Brazilian league, that he deserves a place in the final squad so that we can bring home our sixth World Cup title," Romario told Jornal O Dia. 

It was something of a warning from the 1994 World Cup winner to a manager tasked with the thankless job of leading the team back to a title they haven’t won since 2002. Ancelotti, for his part, is not bowing to public pressure and is sticking to his guns, even though he knows he has made an unpopular choice regarding a player who, whilst divisive, is still an idol in Brazil.

Shocked at not being included in the squad, the former Barcelona player said he won’t give up and will try to change the manager’s mind. His behaviour off the pitch, however, remains questionable: recently, after being left out of a match for his club Santos, he spent hours and hours gambling.

It is worth remembering, however, that these call-ups are provisional and were announced to test the squad ahead of the upcoming friendlies against France and Croatia. They will need to be confirmed or amended in three months’ time when the official squad list is released for the team Ancelotti will take with him to Mexico, Canada and the United States. Then the manager will face the toughest decision: Neymar yes or Neymar no?