Carlo Ancelotti immediately sets a record with Neymar’s return to Brazil after the 2026 World Cup draw

Carlo Ancelotti now knows the way Brazil will take at the World Cup 2026 after Friday’s drawing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, but Neymar‘s return has once again become the central topic of discussion. With the Selection‘s group stage rivals officially revealed, the Italian manager made his position clear on the star striker’s chances of returning to the squad.

Neymar’s heroic hat-trick for Santos against Juventude to help the club escape the relegation zone has reignited excitement among fans eager to see his impact on a Brazilian team still struggling to reach the compelling standards of its storied past. And now that the draw has been completed, anticipation is growing for what the star believes will be his final World Cup appearance.

Just minutes later, the Brazilian legend’s name came up again, and this time Ancelotti addressed him even more directly: “If we’re talking about Neymarwe need to talk about other players. We have to think of Brazil, which can have Neymar or without Neymar, with other players or without other players. We will draw up the final list after the March FIFA period.”

Just a few minutes later, he was questioned again about the Brazilian legend, and he corrected his position on the matter. “I understand very well that you are very interested in Neymar. I want to make it clear that we are in December, the World Cup is in June and I choose the team that goes to the World Cup in May,” said Ancelotti.

Despite questions about Neymar’s fitness and recent absence from national team call-ups, Ancelotti has kept the door wide open, not just for him, but for any Brazilian standout who proves worthy. “If Neymar deserves to be there, if he does well, if he is better than anyone else, he will play in the World Cup, period.. I don’t owe anyone anything”, he concluded.

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Ancelotti wants to extend Brazil’s historic World Cup record: rivals and possible knockout path after 2026 draw

Brazil are also included in group C of the 2026 World Cup Haiti, Morocco and Scotland– an intriguing group where, despite being clear favourites, both the African and European representatives pose challenges. And in this expanded 48-team format, the possibility of Neymar joining Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo adds another layer of intrigue to the tournament.

What are Brazil’s upcoming friendlies?

After a final test against Senegal and Tunisia during a European tour, the Seleção are now keen to face top-level European opponents as preparation for the World Cup continues. For the March international break, Ancelotti’s team plays against France and Croatiatwo teams that have been among the standout performers in recent editions of the tournament.

When asked about expectations for the matchups, Ancelotti did not shy away from setting a high standard: “I think it’s a good test. We will play against teams of the highest level, with different characteristics. France has exceptional individual quality, Croatia has a very experienced team. We want to know where we stand. It is clearly an indicator. It can be positive or negative. We will evaluate after the matches to understand the problems these games can pose.”