Brazil coach tells Neymar to prepare well for World Cup
FILE: Brazil's forward Neymar controls the ball during the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualification football match between Brazil and Venezuela at the Arena Pantanal stadium in Cuiaba, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, on October 12, 2023. After nearly a year and a half out through injury, star forward Neymar will return to the Brazil squad for March's South American 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina, his coach Dorival Junior said on March 6, 2025. (Photo by NELSON ALMEIDA / AFP)
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"He must prepare well and he has the time to do that," the Italian said in an interview with the South American football federation on Thursday.
"He's a very important player for us regarding the World Cup," Ancelotti added.
Neymar, 33, extended his contract with Brazilian side Santos to the end of the year this week.
Neymar's career has been dogged by injury, and he has only played 12 matches in five months for Santos, scoring three goals.
Brazil's top scorer with 79 goals was missing from Ancelotti's first squad at the end of May.
With Neymar absent five-time world champions Brazil qualified for next year's World Cup with a 1-0 win over Paraguay this month.
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