Neymar's world cup hopes dim as ancelotti excludes star

The Brazilian superstar's chances of featuring in the upcoming World Cup are fading fast. Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar, 34, has been omitted from the Brazil squad for the next two international friendlies, his first absence since October 2023.

Ancelotti opts for fresh legs ahead of world cup preparations

The decision by national team coach Carlo Ancelotti to leave out the 128-cap veteran, despite him being on the preliminary list for matches against France and Croatia, signals a shift in strategy. Instead, Ancelotti has recalled young Real Madrid loanee Endrick, a move that comes roughly a year after the teenager's last appearance for the Seleção. Notably, Bundesliga players were not included in the call-up.

Ancelotti had reportedly planned to assess Neymar's fitness firsthand last week, but the captain of FC Santos was withdrawn from a league match against Mirassol FC for