Ancelotti Calls on Injury-Stricken Neymar to ‘Train Wisely’ for World Cup

Newly appointed Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti regards Neymar as “a crucial player” and has encouraged the injury-prone forward to “prepare effectively” for the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

“He needs to get ready properly, and he has ample time to do so,” the Italian manager stated in an interview with the South American football federation on Thursday.

“Neymar is an essential asset for us heading into the World Cup,” Ancelotti further commented.

This week, the 33-year-old Neymar extended his contract with Brazilian club Santos until the end of the year.

However, injuries have overshadowed Neymar’s career, as he has managed to play only 12 matches for Santos over the past five months, netting three goals.

Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals was absent from Ancelotti’s inaugural squad announced at the end of May.

In Neymar’s absence, the five-time world champions, Brazil, secured their qualification for next year’s World Cup with a narrow 1-0 victory over Paraguay this month.