Brazil’s World Cup hopes hinge on Neymar’s return and Ancelotti’s fixes

Brazil are heading into the 2026 World Cup under pressure, with questions over whether Carlo Ancelotti can restore the national team to championship level for the first time in 24 years. The five-time world champions announced Neymar in their squad after a high-profile event in Rio de Janeiro last month, but his inclusion was driven in part by public pressure from former Brazil greats, including Cafu, who said the team lacked a leader of his stature.

That comeback was quickly complicated. Days after the announcement, Brazil said Neymar had suffered a calf muscle strain in a Santos league match, ruling him out of the opening game against Morocco. The 34-year-old has not been himself since a knee ligament injury in October 2023, and after another knee surgery he has played fewer than half of Santos’ matches in 2026, 15 of 35 across all competitions. He has not played for Brazil for more than two and a half years.

Ancelotti insists he will treat Neymar like any other player, but the expectation is that the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star may spend much of the tournament on the bench, or at least serve as a symbolic presence in a dressing room described as full of egos and tension. Brazil’s problems are broader than Neymar, though. They finished South American qualifying in fifth place, scored only 24 goals in 18 matches, and lost six times, including a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Argentina at home, which cost Dorival Júnior his job and brought in Ancelotti.

The bigger challenge is getting more from Brazil’s stars. Vinicius Junior has scored only nine goals in 48 international appearances, far below his Real Madrid output, while Raphinha has produced 19 goals or assists in 39 Brazil games compared with 127 in 177 matches for Barcelona. Brazil have averaged under two goals per game in the current World Cup cycle, down from 2.3 in the previous one. Up front, the team lacks proven No. 9 options, with Igor Thiago the only natural candidate, Endrick used mainly wide at Lyon, and João Pedro unexpectedly omitted. There are still strong anchors, including Alisson, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães, and Ancelotti will hope that if he can connect a talented attack, Brazil can finally go deep instead of being eliminated by European teams for a sixth straight World Cup.