Ancelotti sets his “only condition” for Neymar’s return to the Brazilian national team

Neymar (33 years old) has not participated with the Brazilian national team for two years, as injuries have hampered his ability to perform consistently since his return to Santos last year after a period he spent with Al Hilal Saudi Arabia.

Ancelotti, who was speaking before the friendly match against Japan scheduled in Tokyo on Tuesday, praised Neymar’s talent but stressed the importance of his physical condition.

The Italian coach told reporters: “Neymar can play at his highest level with the Brazilian national team without any problems. When he is in good physical condition, he has the competence to play not only in Brazil but in any team in the world thanks to his talent.”

The last time the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain striker wore the Brazil national team shirt was in October 2023, when he suffered a serious knee ligament injury, which hampered his attempts to return to the field.

Brazil enters tomorrow’s match in high spirits after its great 5-0 victory over South Korea last Friday, following a performance that demonstrated the team’s ability to entertain the fans with “beautiful football.”

However, Ancelotti stressed that balance and teamwork remain the most important, and said: “The Brazilian national team wants to play beautiful football and can play it, yes, but it depends on what you mean by beautiful football… Of course, the players have individual quality and commitment. We should play beautifully with and without the ball, and this is an important aspect.”

The Italian coach, who took charge of coaching the Brazilian national team last May after a difficult journey in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, prioritized style and the ability to adapt in the limited time before the tournament that will be held in North America.

Since Ancelotti took charge, Brazil has achieved 3 wins, one draw and one loss.

Under Ancelotti’s leadership, Brazil became more solid defensively and conceded one goal from a penalty kick against Bolivia, while scoring 9 goals.

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