Brazil coach on Neymar & World Cup: ‘It depends on him, not me’

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti has not closed the door on veterans Neymar and Thiago Silva being part of his final World Cup squad.

With the five-time World champions announcing their squad this week, there had been a lot of talk about whether icons Silva and Neymar will be part of their final squad. The pair made the cut in Brazil's preliminary squad ahead of the World Cup.

Neymar (34) has been ravaged by injuries in recent years and not played for Brazil since 2023, while Silva is 41.

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“Neymar’s call-up depends only on him,” Ancelotti said as quoted by The Guardian.

“It depends on what the player shows on the pitch. That’s a very clear criteria and that is not only for Neymar. With most players, you need to assess talent and physical condition. With Neymar, we only need to assess his physical condition because his talent is beyond question. It depends on him, not on me.”

Meanwhile, Silva helped Porto win the top-flight in Portugal and could be in line to play at his fifth World Cup tournament with 66-year-old Ancelotti confirming that the defender is in the conversation for selection.

“Thiago Silva is on the radar, yes,” says Ancelotti.

“He’s been playing very well, he won the Portuguese league and is in a great physical condition.

“Leaders are important. Fortunately, this squad has highly respected leaders. Leaders who don’t say much but set a good example, such as Alisson, Casemiro, Marquinhos and Raphinha. In that sense, the squad is in good hands.”

Ancelotti was appointed Brazil coach in May 2025 and became the nation’s first-ever foreign tactician in a contract that ends after the 2030 World Cup - by which time he will be 70.

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The Italian, who is the only person to have won titles in each of Europe’s top five leagues, has been tasked to transform the South Americans back into world champions with the nation having not won the World Cup since 2002.

In recent years, they have also struggled for consistency in South American football, with Argentina having won the last two editions of the Copa America.