Why did Carlo Ancelotti drop Neymar Jr from Brazil squad for France and Croatia friendlies? Real reason explored

Carlo Ancelotti leaves Neymar Jr. out of Brazil’s squad for friendlies and explains the real reason Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has finally explained why Neymar Jr. was not included in the national team squad for the upcoming international friendlies.

Brazil will play France on March 26 and Croatia on March 31 in the United States, but the famous forward’s name was missing when the squad list was announced. The news quickly surprised many fans because several Brazilian media reports earlier said Neymar Jr. was part of the preliminary squad list. However, when the final list came out, the Santos forward was not selected. Ancelotti made it clear that the decision was not about Neymar’s talent, but about his current physical condition.

The coach said the team needs players who are fully fit right now. Neymar has had a difficult run with injuries in recent years. The 34 year old forward is still trying to return to full fitness after serious knee surgery last year. Because of that long recovery period, he has played only four matches in 2026 so far. In one of those games, he completed the full 90 minutes in Santos’ 1–1 match against Corinthians. But just days later he missed another game against Mirassol on March 10 after suffering a muscle strain during training due to fatigue.

The last time Neymar played for Brazil was October 17, 2023, when he suffered the knee injury during a South American World Cup qualifying match against Uruguay. Because of these issues, Ancelotti decided not to rush the star back into the national squad.

Carlo Ancelotti explains Neymar Jr. absence and confirms Brazil squad for France and Croatia friendlies

While speaking to reporters after announcing the squad, Carlo Ancelotti clearly explained why Neymar Jr. was not included.“If he arrives at the next World Cup at 100%, he can participate.

Why isn’t he on this list now? Because he isn’t at 100%. We need players who are at 100% right now,” Ancelotti said.“But as I said, the final roster will be different. Neymar has to keep working and playing, demonstrating his quality in good physical condition.”The coach also stressed that the decision was only about fitness, not about Neymar’s ability.“It’s a physical assessment, not a technical one. Neymar handles the ball very well.

For the coaching staff, and for me, he hasn’t yet reached his full potential. He has to work to achieve it,” Ancelotti said.“He has to keep working to get back to his best level. This is my opinion and that of the entire coaching staff who are following his matches.”Brazil’s squad for the friendlies includes several big names. Goalkeepers called up are Alisson, Bento, and Ederson. In defense, players like Marquinhos, Bremer, Danilo, Gabriel Magalhães, Alex Sandro, and Douglas Santos were selected. Midfield options include Casemiro, Andrey Santos, Danilo, Fabinho, and Gabriel Sara. In attack, Brazil will rely on players such as Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha, Gabriel Martinelli, Matheus Cunha, João Pedro, Igor Thiago, Luiz Henrique, Endrick, and Rayan. For Neymar Jr., the focus now is simple. He must stay healthy and return to regular matches. If he can reach full fitness again, the door to Brazil’s squad, and the next FIFA World Cup, could still be open.Carlo Ancelotti left Neymar Jr. out of Brazil’s squad for friendlies against France and Croatia because the Santos forward is not fully fit. Neymar has played only four matches this year after recovering from knee surgery and a recent muscle strain. Ancelotti said the decision is purely physical and Neymar could still return if he regains full fitness.