Brazilian football icon Ronaldo has publicly called on club-world-cup-never-holds-again-la-liga-president/” title=”La Liga President Vows to Prevent Future … …: Exclusive Statement”>national team manager Carlo Ancelotti to reinstate Neymar in the squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup hosted in North America.
As one of Brazil’s most celebrated footballers and a two-time World Cup champion, Ronaldo emphasized that Neymar’s involvement could be pivotal to Brazil’s success in the tournament.
Neymar, who holds the record as Brazil’s leading goal scorer with 79 goals in 128 matches, has been absent from the Selecao since October 2023 due to a severe cruciate ligament injury sustained during an international fixture against Uruguay. Now 33 years old, Neymar has resumed regular play with Santos, the club where he first made his mark, following a brief and underwhelming period at Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal.
Despite his return to fitness and steady performances for Santos this year, Neymar has not been selected in any of Ancelotti’s four squad announcements since the Italian coach took over. Ronaldo strongly disagrees with this exclusion.
“Neymar is an irreplaceable asset for the Brazilian team. There isn’t another player like him,” Ronaldo stated at a promotional event in São Paulo alongside fellow Brazilian football figures. “Everyone is hopeful that he will be part of the World Cup squad because his presence would undoubtedly improve our chances compared to if he were absent.”
Ronaldo himself netted 62 goals in 99 appearances for Brazil and was instrumental in their World Cup victories in 1994 and 2002, scoring eight goals in the latter tournament, including a brace in the final that cemented his legendary status. His support for Neymar’s comeback carries considerable influence among fans and within the football community.
In recent years, Neymar’s career has been hampered by injuries, which caused him to miss Brazil’s 2019 Copa America triumph. After transferring from Paris Saint-Germain to Al Hilal in August 2023, he featured in only five games and scored once before his knee injury sidelined him for nearly a year. Upon recovery, he played just two more matches for the Saudi club before returning to Santos in January 2025.
When asked about Neymar’s absence from the September World Cup qualifying matches, Ancelotti explained that the forward must regain full match fitness before being considered for selection. “He needs to reach optimal physical condition to contribute effectively to the national team and perform at his best during the World Cup,” the coach remarked.
With the World Cup less than twelve months away, discussions about Neymar’s potential role are heating up. For Ronaldo and a large segment of Brazilian supporters, excluding Neymar would mean entering the tournament without the nation’s most talented offensive player of his generation.
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