Neymar picked for Brazil’s World Cup squad despite doubts on fitness

By: The Associated Press Posted: 4:17 PM CDT Monday, May. 18, 2026 Last Modified: 4:42 PM CDT Monday, May. 18, 2026

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Neymar made Brazil's World Cup squad on Monday, a selection many local analysts and former footballers deemed unlikely only days ago. The striker will appear at his fourth World Cup.

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RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Neymar made Brazil’s World Cup squad on Monday, a selection many local analysts and former footballers deemed unlikely only days ago. The striker will appear at his fourth World Cup.

The 34-year-old Neymar is Brazil’s all-time top goal-scorer with 79 but has struggled to return to top fitness since he tore his left ACL in October 2023. He’s played eight matches for Santos this year with four goals and two assists.

“He has improved his fitness, he will be an important player in this World Cup,” Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti said at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro.

A fan poses with a poster of Brazilian soccer player Neymar, reading in Portuguese "Go Neymar, our hope for a sixth World Cup title" before Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad is announced, in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, May 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

The coach added he preferred experienced players for some spots in his squad, including Neymar.

“He can still improve his fitness until the first match of the World Cup,” Ancelotti said. “He has experience in this kind of competition, the love of our group, he can create a better environment in this group.”

Shortly before Ancelotti’s squad was announced, Neymar changed his Instagram bio in a revealing way; he had only Santos as a reference of where he is currently playing and added Brazil to it.

Brazil’s 26-man squad also features its main players in recent years, Vinicius Júnior and Raphinha.

Ancelotti who took over in May 2025 but had not summoned Neymar until Monday.

He extended his contract with the Brazilian Football Confederation last week to the 2030 World Cup but he has had a troubled spell in Brazil so far with many injured players out of his World Cup squad; strikers Rodrygo and Estevao are the ones he will miss the most in North America.

Brazil opens its World Cup campaign against Morocco in New Jersey on June 13, followed by Haiti and Scotland in Group C.

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Brazil

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Fenerbahce), Weverton (Gremio)

Defenders: Alex Sandro, Danilo, Leo Pereira (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Ibanez (Al-Ahli), Wesley (Roma), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Douglas Santos (Zenit St. Petersburg)

Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo Santos (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al-Ittihad), Lucas Paqueta (Flamengo)

Forwards: Endrick (Lyon), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Raphinha (Barcelona), Vinicius Júnior (Real Madrid), Luiz Henrique (Zenit St. Petersburg), Neymar (Santos), Rayan (Bournemouth).

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup