Ancelotti will not fall into Neymar’s trap. For him, the player is not fit to play for the National Team. And he will not discuss this publicly

Carlo Ancelotti did not yield to Santos’ medical report. Despite Neymar’s assertion of being physically well and available for the games against Chile and Bolivia, the Italian coach had the autonomy to make his own decision. Unlike past coaches, Ancelotti chose not to call up the player, considering his age, injury history, and lackluster performance. Neymar’s declining form at Santos was a key factor in Ancelotti’s choice. The coach’s independence in squad selection was evident, and he even has the freedom to omit Neymar from the World Cup roster if needed. Neymar’s post-match comments about his physical condition being fine and his exclusion being a technical decision did not sway Ancelotti or the CBF leadership. Ancelotti’s track record of benching or offloading star players indicated his commitment to performance-based selections. While Neymar may have indirectly criticized Ancelotti, the coach maintained his professionalism by not engaging in public disputes.