2026 World Cup: Ancelotti talks about ‘Neymar’s call-up, Vinicius role, Thiago Silva and Casemiro

With the 2026 World Cup just days away, this probably is not the best time to be the manager of Brazil he country ranked sixth in the world.

Already lost Éder Militão and Rodrygo, with Estêvão a serious doubt. This, no doubt, will complicate the work of any manager.

But Carlo Ancelotti, the current Brazil manager, is undeterred. He has had only 10 games in charge of the team, finishing with five wins, two draws and three defeats.

Within the jigsaw of finding his optimal starting XI, Ancelotti is trying to repeat what he did at Real Madrid in 2024 – making Vinícius the best player in the world, according to The Guardian.

With Brazil, the 25-year-old has not been able to shine in the same way. He has eight goals in 47 international games. But Ancelotti knows how to galvanise the forward.

“Look, the responsibility he carries for Brazil is huge, especially recently,” Ancelotti says. “This responsibility can be a burden for him. Our job in the national team is to take some of that weight off his shoulders so he can play with joy, energy and all the qualities he possesses.

“I see Vinícius as I saw him at Real Madrid: a spectacular player and a spectacular person who can win a match on his own. He’ll be very important for Brazil at the World Cup. But being the No 1? The star player? We don’t need a No 1. We can’t focus everything on just one player. We must think as a team. That’s the only way to win the World Cup.”

Ancelotti finds himself in a different situation from the most recent Brazil coaches, who have handed all the responsibility to Neymar. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward is 34 now and has struggled to stay fit. He may have 79 goals for his country, but he has not played a match for the Seleção since October 2023. The Neymar issue, unsurprisingly, is dominating the discourse in Brazil at the moment. A survey by the Datafolha institute showed that 53% of Brazilians want Neymar at the World Cup, while 34% were against it and 13% remained undecided.

The World Cup squad announcement is only days away – 18 May – and Ancelotti is categorical when the possible inclusion of Neymar is brought up. “Neymar’s call-up depends only on him,” he says. “It depends on what the player shows on the pitch. That’s a very clear criterion, and that is not only for Neymar. With most players, you need to assess talent and physical condition. With Neymar, we only need to assess his physical condition because his talent is beyond question. It depends on him, not on me.”

Another experienced player hoping to be included is the former Chelsea and PSG centre-back Thiago Silva, who, at 41, has had a good season at Porto and is hoping to play in his fifth World Cup. “Thiago Silva is on the radar, yes,” says Ancelotti. “He’s been playing very well; he won the Portuguese league and is in a great physical condition.

“Leaders are important. Fortunately, this squad has highly respected leaders. Leaders who don’t say much but set a good example, such as Alisson, Casemiro, Marquinhos and Raphinha. In that sense, the squad is in good hands.”

This will be Ancelotti’s fourth World Cup. He was a player in the Italy team in 1986 and 1990 and was an assistant coach to Arrigo Sacchi, the last time the tournament was played in North America, in 1994. Returning to the US after 32 years brings a feeling of happiness and nostalgia to the coach whose team reached the final that year, losing on penalties to … Brazil.

Some things have changed – for the better, according to Ancelotti. “In 1994, the matches were at midday in New York with temperatures of 43 °C (109F). Now the kick-off times are better. The weather won’t be a problem as it was in 1994.”

When Ancelotti was appointed, most headlines in Brazil said he had swapped the biggest club in the world for the most important national team. There are similarities, Ancelotti admits, but also many differences. “There are different ways of working for a manager,” he says. “But the most important thing I learned at Real Madrid, and which I use in Brazil, is high standards. When you are demanding you have a better chance of winning. Real Madrid is the most successful club in the world because it is demanding of everyone who works there. If you are demanding, you get the best out of everyone.”

.