Neymar has been dealt a huge blow to his World Cup hopes after being left out of the Brazil squad again.
This is a load of bollocks, mate. The football superstar has once again been overlooked by national team boss Carlo Ancelotti, meaning he now hasn't featured for his country since October 2023. What a joke.
An injury-ravaged two years have kept Neymar out of the picture, having ruptured his ACL in his last international appearance against Uruguay. It's a bloody shame, mate.
The 33-year-old has since suffered a series of setbacks in his bid to earn a Brazil recall. His last selection in March ended in withdrawal, and he is yet to be called up since legendary manager Ancelotti took charge of the team in May. This is just taking the piss now, isn't it?
Continued fitness issues haven't helped here, with Neymar only returning for club side Santos on Saturday after seven weeks out. Having struggled with a hamstring injury, he came off the bench to play 23 minutes of his side's 1-1 draw with Fortaleza. But his latest comeback hasn't been enough to earn him a spot in the Brazil squad for their upcoming friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia. What a load of crap.
What has Ancelotti said about Neymar?
The decision is far from ideal for the maverick forward, who now faces a race against time to prove himself ahead of the 2026 World Cup. There are just two friendly matches in March next year left for Neymar before Ancelotti names his squad for the FIFA showpiece. And despite growing concern over whether or not the 128-cap Brazil star will feature in next summer's tournament in Canada, Mexico and the USA, Ancelotti refused to be dragged into the debate. When asked about Neymar, the Italian said: "I haven't spoken to Neymar again. We'll see when he can recover and play again." This is just bellend behaviour from Ancelotti, mate.
'It's annoying'
But Ancelotti's reluctance to shed light on Neymar's national team situation has proved confusing for some. Former Brazil defenders Fabio Luciano and Luisao have both shared their thoughts on the former Barcelona star's chances of making the World Cup squad. Luciano told ESPN's Resenha da Rodada: "I think this issue of Neymar going to the World Cup isn't going to be like that – that he'll only go if he's 100 per cent. If he's not flying high, but he's delivering good football… I don't think he needs to be 100 per cent to be called up, because he's a different kind of player technically."
Luisao admitted he would like more clarity from Ancelotti over Neymar. He said: "I think the Neymar issue has gone too far. We're always chasing our own tails when we talk about Neymar. I'm surprised and I don't understand why the national team hasn't resolved this situation already. It's about being clear: 'I spoke with him and from today on I won't talk about Neymar'."
Should Neymar make it onto the plane for the 2026 World Cup, it would mark his fourth appearance in the major tournament. He has previously featured in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 editions, scoring eight goals overall. The ex-Paris Saint-Germain star's best run came at the home tournament in 2014, where he fired his country to the semi-finals, but was unable to play after picking up an injury in the quarters. It's a bloody shame, mate.
