Brazil's Shock Decision: Neymar Returns After 2.5 Years — But Rodrygo Misses Out

One of the most emotional squad announcements in Brazilian football history took place on Monday, May 18, at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro. The official 26-man squad was unveiled at a ceremony led by Carlo Ancelotti with the backdrop slogan "Dreaming small is forbidden." The most anticipated name: Neymar Jr. The 34-year-old superstar returns to the Selecao for the first time in 2.5 years since suffering an ACL tear against Uruguay in October 2023. Fans gathered outside chanted "Olé olé olé, Neymar!" to celebrate the announcement; the player himself wrote on social media, "These are tears of pure happiness."

Ancelotti's decision sparked debate. Having taken over Brazil in May 2025, the Italian had previously refused to call up Neymar for the March friendlies against France and Croatia, insisting "only players at 100% physical capacity will be in the squad." But Neymar's performance for Santos this season — 6 goals and 4 assists — changed his mind. Ancelotti said in the announcement: "Neymar's talent is undisputed. We evaluated him throughout the year and noticed that he's been playing consistently and improving his physical condition. In some positions, we prioritized experience."

The surprise omission is even more striking: Real Madrid's 25-year-old Rodrygo. Chelsea's João Pedro and Real Betis' Antony also missed the cut. Conversely, Lyon's 19-year-old Endrick and Bournemouth's Rayan earned their first World Cup call-ups. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid) and Raphinha (Barcelona) naturally kept their places. In goal, Alisson (Liverpool) and Ederson (Fenerbahçe) — a name well-known to Turkish fans — are the lead candidates.

Brazil's 2026 World Cup road runs through Group C: Morocco at MetLife Stadium on June 13, Haiti at Lincoln Financial Field on June 19, Scotland at Hard Rock Stadium on June 24. Brazil have won 5 World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002) — now chasing a 6th star. The fact that Ancelotti is Brazil's first foreign permanent manager in history makes the tournament symbolically significant. The Italian extended his contract with the Brazilian Football Confederation last week until the 2030 World Cup.

For Neymar, this will likely be his final World Cup. The 34-year-old superstar is his country's all-time top scorer (79 goals in 128 caps), having broken Pelé's record of 77. But injuries since then have piled up, and he endured a disappointing 18 months at Al Hilal (just 7 appearances). His February return to Santos changed his career trajectory. According to ESPN, Ancelotti said: "We chose Neymar not because we think he'll be a good substitute. We chose Neymar because we believe he can help the team — whether it's for one minute, five minutes, 90 minutes or even taking a penalty."

Source: Based on reports from Al Jazeera, ESPN, FOX Sports, World Soccer Talk, Sports Illustrated, SportBible and Khelnow on Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad and Neymar's return.