The Selecao’s Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti has been asked by Brazilian legend Ronaldo to get Neymar back in the squad for the World Cup in North America in the upcoming year.
Neymar, Brazil’s top goalscorer with 79 goals in 128 games, hasn’t worn the yellow jersey since October 2023 when he suffered a serious knee injury.
After a failed spell with Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, the 33-year-old has returned to his first club in January and has since played regularly for Sao Paulo Santos.
Even so, Ancelotti has not yet called up Neymar in his four matches in charge.
He plays a decisive role for the Brazilian Selecao. Neymar is the only player that has ever won the World Cup, Ronaldo, who has twice won it with Brazil, said at a press conference in Sao Paulo along with his fellow countryman.
Ronaldo, 49, who scored 62 goals in 99 Brazil games, added, “The people hope 100 percent that he will attend the World Cup because if he is there, we will undoubtedly have better results than if he is not there.”
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Neymar has missed Brazil’s Copa America victory on home soil in 2019 because of injuries suffered in recent years.
He left Paris Saint-Germain for Al Hilal in August 2023, but he injured his cruciate knee ligament while playing for Uruguay on international duty. He had only five goals and five goals.
Before moving to Santos, he would only play two games for the Saudi side after a year of suspension.
Ancelotti said Neymar needed to “get in better shape to help the national team and to give the best of himself at the World Cup” after Neymar was dropped from his squad for World Cup qualifiers in September.
Source: Channels TV
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