Brazil Squad Revealed: Neymar Misses Out, Ancelotti Unveils 26-Man Pre-World Cup Roster

FULL TACTICAL ANALYSIS Brazil Squad Breakdown: Ancelotti Names His Men March 2026 Friendlies  ·  France & Croatia  ·  Pre-World Cup Window

 

Squad Size 26 Players

World Cup Opener June 13

Final Roster Named May 18

 

THE NEYMAR QUESTION

The headline from this squad announcement is not who is in it. It is who is not. Neymar, Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 79 goals from 128 caps, did not make the cut. Ancelotti did not shut the door on him though. His message was simple: get fit, stay fit, keep playing.

The 34-year-old has been out of the international picture since 2023, when he tore his ACL during a World Cup qualifier. That was a brutal blow, and the recovery has clearly taken longer than anyone hoped. Just last month, Neymar admitted he had been thinking about retiring altogether and described himself as living 'year to year.' But he also made clear he still wants to be at the World Cup, which tells you the fire is still there.

Ancelotti had two assistants watching Neymar play the full 90 minutes in Santos' 1-1 draw with Corinthians on Sunday. That alone signals this is not a straight dismissal. But the verdict from those watching was that he is not back to his best yet, and at this level, close to 100 percent is not good enough. You need the full version.

"Neymar is not at 100 percent of his capability. If he can be at 100 percent physically, he can be there. He has to keep working, playing, showcasing his qualities and maintaining good physical condition." Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil Head Coach

 

CONVOCADOS! 📋

O mister Ancelotti divulgou a lista de jogadores convocados para os amistosos contra França e Croácia, nos dias 26 e 31 de março, nos Estados Unidos.

BATE NO PEITO!

ISSO É BRASIL 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/qT9zVAn6Gl

— brasil (@CBF_Futebol) March 16, 2026

This would be his fourth World Cup. Brazil have not won the thing since 2002 and there is enormous pressure on the national team to finally end that wait on home soil. If Neymar can rediscover anything close to his best form, the argument for including him writes itself. The door is open. Whether he can walk through it in time is another matter.

 

FRESH FACES AND NEW ENERGY

While the Neymar saga dominates the conversation, there is genuine excitement around some of the new inclusions. Four players earn their first senior call-up in this squad, and each of them has earned it.

PLAYER	CLUB	WHY HE'S IN
Igor Thiago	Brentford	Impressed for Keith Andrews' side in a strong Premier League season.
Rayan	Bournemouth	First senior call-up after a productive season on the south coast.
Leo Pereira	Flamengo	Adds defensive depth and domestic experience to the squad.
Gabriel Sara	Galatasaray	Creative midfield option in a well-stocked group.

 

The return of Endrick is arguably the most exciting storyline beyond the Neymar situation. Ancelotti left him out after taking the job from Dorival Junior, so bringing him back now feels significant. The teenager is on loan at Lyon and has been sharp, scoring six goals in 12 appearances. Only two players at the club have scored more in 2025-26. That is strong output from someone his age, and it clearly caught the coach's eye.

Estevao, meanwhile, misses out as he works his way back from injury. He will be one to watch for the final roster depending on how his fitness looks between now and May 18.

 

THE BIGGER PICTURE: WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN

These two friendlies against France on March 26 and Croatia on March 29 represent the final auditions before Ancelotti picks his World Cup squad. That is it. After that, the window closes and he names his 26 men on May 18. The pressure is on every player in this group to perform.

Brazil open the tournament against Morocco on June 13. They are also drawn with Scotland and Haiti in Group C, which on paper looks manageable for a squad of this quality. But Brazil have looked past weaker opposition before at major tournaments, and Ancelotti will be very aware of that history.

The core of this team is strong. Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, Gabriel Martinelli, and Matheus Cunha provide real attacking threat. Marquinhos marshals the defence. Casemiro and Andrey Santos anchor midfield. But the squad still feels like it is searching for its best identity, and these two friendlies will be important for building rhythm and sharpening the combinations Ancelotti wants to use. The World Cup comes around fast.

 

KEY FIXTURES

DATE	EVENT	COMPETITION
March 26	Brazil vs France	International Friendly
March 29	Brazil vs Croatia	International Friendly
May 18	Final World Cup squad named	Roster Announcement
June 13	Brazil vs Morocco	World Cup · Group C opener

 

FULL 26-MAN SQUAD

Italicised entries = first senior call-up.

GOALKEEPERS
Alisson Liverpool	Bento Al Nassr	Ederson Fenerbahce

 

DEFENDERS
Alex Sandro Flamengo	Bremer Juventus	Danilo Flamengo
Douglas Santos Zenit	Gabriel Magalhaes Arsenal	Ibanez Al-Ahly
Leo Pereira Flamengo · debut	Marquinhos PSG	Wesley Roma

 

MIDFIELDERS
Andrey Santos Chelsea	Casemiro Manchester United	Danilo Botafogo
Fabinho Al-Ittihad	Gabriel Sara Galatasaray · debut

 

FORWARDS
Endrick Lyon (recalled)	Gabriel Martinelli Arsenal	Igor Thiago Brentford · debut
Joao Pedro Chelsea	Luiz Henrique Zenit	Matheus Cunha Manchester United
Raphinha Barcelona	Rayan Bournemouth · debut	Vinicius Junior Real Madrid

 Group C: Brazil · Morocco · Scotland · Haiti  |  Five-time World Champions  |  Last title: 2002