Ancelotti Not Excited About Neymar Due to Lack of Physical Intensity

In his press conferences, the national team coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has been diplomatic about Santos forward Neymar. He often says that Neymar would need to be performing at a high physical level to be evaluated. Behind the scenes, the Italian coach does not show excitement or confidence in the possibility of having the Santos player in the 2026 World Cup. Ancelotti has reportedly expressed to associates that he does not see in Neymar the ability to play with intensity. The national team’s coaching staff has accessed physical data about Neymar – including physiological and GPS data – and noted that his performance indicators were well below those of a top-level player. Publicly, Ancelotti has made it clear that he wants players performing at their peak physically. “It may be that a player lacks intensity for the first or second game. Not for the entire World Cup, no. I believe we need players physically at the top level,” the Italian coach said in a recent press conference. Ancelotti also does not internally show much sympathy towards Neymar due to his lack of commitment to football. Those who have heard the coach speak see doubt in Neymar’s recovery. When directly asked about the Santos player, Ancelotti was brief and stated that he had not spoken to him. He emphasized the need for Neymar to be physically fit in order to be evaluated. Ancelotti’s approach towards Neymar differs from his relationship with players like Vinicius Jr, whom he has previously worked with. Amid the controversy in Spain when Vinicius Jr complained about being substituted at Real Madrid, Ancelotti spoke with the player. He mentioned that the apology displayed genuine remorse. Evidently, there is always a possibility for Ancelotti’s impression of Neymar to change. For this to happen, Neymar would need to undergo a significant physical recovery and show significant improvement to earn a chance in the upcoming international break in March. However, there is another obstacle for him, as Ancelotti views this particular call-up as almost definitive for the 2026 World Cup, meaning it is not ideal for experimental tests.