Ancelotti Names Brazil's Final 26-Man World Cup Squad — Neymar Confirmed Despite Form Concerns

Carlo Ancelotti officially revealed Brazil's final 26-man World Cup squad at 4:00 PM Brasilia time at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro on May 18 — the most eagerly anticipated squad announcement of the tournament. Neymar Jr. (34, Santos) was confirmed in the selection, ending weeks of intense speculation. The build-up was emotionally charged: the day before (May 17), Neymar was accidentally substituted off at halftime during Santos' 3-0 loss to Coritiba — he was visibly in tears during the national anthem, sparking a wave of public sympathy. Ancelotti reportedly changed his stance on Neymar's inclusion due to the forward's recent improvement and the cascade of injuries to other attacking options. Confirmed absences: Rodrygo (Real Madrid, torn ACL and right meniscus), Eder Militão (Real Madrid, hamstring surgery), and Estevao Willian (Chelsea, Grade-4 hamstring). Key inclusions alongside Neymar: Vinicius Junior, Endrick (Real Madrid), Matheus Cunha (Manchester City), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle United), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Joao Pedro, Lucas Paquetá (West Ham). The June 1 final squad submission deadline applies to all 48 nations; FIFA publishes all squads simultaneously on June 2.