Neymar Omitted from Brazil's World Cup Preparatory Squad

Neymar has been left out of Brazil's squad for their upcoming friendlies against France and Croatia. Coach Carlo Ancelotti cited Neymar's lack of fitness as the reason. Neymar, who has been battling injuries, expressed disappointment but remains focused. Young talents Endrick and Igor Thiago have been called up instead.

In a surprising move, Brazil's national coach Carlo Ancelotti has excluded football star Neymar from the forthcoming friendly matches against France and Croatia. The decision, announced on Monday, is part of Brazil's continued preparation strategies for the 2026 World Cup to be hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Neymar, who recently missed a match for Santos FC due to muscle fatigue, was anticipated to return to the national squad as the five-time world champions fine-tune their team dynamics. However, Ancelotti pointed out that Neymar's current fitness level is not at 100%, which led to him being omitted. Despite his disappointment, Neymar is staying committed to his training regime.

Instead, Ancelotti opted to infuse young energy into the squad by calling up 19-year-old Endrick and debuting Brentford's Igor Thiago, both heralded as promising talents. Brazil's strategy focuses on refreshing their attacking lineup, gearing up for June's friendly against Egypt and their World Cup opener against Morocco.

(With inputs from agencies.)