Neymar is included in Brazil’s World Cup squad despite uncertainty about his health, while Joao Pedro is not included

Neymar is going to his fourth World Cup because Ancelotti wants to use experience, even though there are worries about the striker’s fitness. However, Joao Pedro from Chelsea is not going. 

It was no longer a question of whether Neymar would make it to the World Cup after a long recovery from a serious knee injury when Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti named him to his 26-person group on Monday.

The 34-year-old Santos striker has scored 79 goals, making him Brazil’s all-time top scorer. He is set to play in his fourth World Cup, even though he has been having a challenging time getting fit since breaking his left ACL in October 2023.

At a news conference in Rio de Janeiro, Ancelotti said that Neymar was chosen because of his knowledge and power within the team.

Ancelotti said, “He has gotten in better shape.” “He will play a significant role in this World Cup.”

Neymar is important no matter how many minutes he plays in the tournament, according to the Italian coach, because he is a leader that stays calm when things get tough.

Vinícius Júnior and Raphinha are also important attacking stars for Brazil. Endrick and Rayan got their first World Cup call-ups by beating out João Pedro and Antony for the last two attacking spots.

Ancelotti said it was difficult to choose the final team because there was so much ability. However, injuries to Rodrygo and Estêvão were big setbacks before the tournament in North America.

Last week, the Brazilian Football Confederation also revealed that Ancelotti had chosen to stay on as manager until the 2030 World Cup.

Brazil’s first game in the World Cup is on June 13 in New Jersey against the Moroccan national football team. They then play Haiti and Scotland in Group C.