{"id":753,"date":"2026-05-18T23:05:29","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T23:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=753"},"modified":"2026-05-18T23:05:29","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T23:05:29","slug":"neymar-picked-for-brazils-world-cup-squad-despite-doubts-on-fitness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=753","title":{"rendered":"Neymar picked for Brazil\u2019s World Cup squad despite doubts on fitness"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) \u2014 Neymar made Brazil\u2019s World Cup squad on Monday, a selection many local analysts and former footballers deemed unlikely only days ago. The striker will appear at his fourth World Cup.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=751\">Alexander Rossi taken to hospital after crash during Indy 500 practice that collects 2 others<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The 34-year-old Neymar is Brazil\u2019s all-time top goal-scorer with 79 but has struggled to return to top fitness since he tore his left ACL in October 2023. He\u2019s played eight matches for Santos this year with four goals and two assists.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe has improved his fitness, he will be an important player in this World Cup,\u201d Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti said at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro.<\/p>\n<p>The coach added he preferred experienced players for some spots in his squad, including Neymar.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe can still improve his fitness until the first match of the World Cup,\u201d Ancelotti said. \u201cHe has experience in this kind of competition, the love of our group, he can create a better environment in this group.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Shortly before Ancelotti\u2019s squad was announced, Neymar changed his Instagram bio in a revealing way; he had only Santos as a reference of where he is currently playing and added Brazil to it.<\/p>\n<p>Brazil\u2019s 26-man squad also features its main players in recent years, Vinicius J\u00fanior and Raphinha.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=749\">CBS 17\u2019s Sara Holland sits down with Taylor Hall as Carolina Hurricanes await Eastern Conference Final opponent<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Ancelotti who took over in May 2025 but had not summoned Neymar until Monday.<\/p>\n<p>He extended his contract with the Brazilian Football Confederation last week to the 2030 World Cup but he has had a troubled spell in Brazil so far with many injured players out of his World Cup squad; strikers Rodrygo and Estevao are the ones he will miss the most in North America.<\/p>\n<p>Brazil opens its World Cup campaign against Morocco in New Jersey on June 13, followed by Haiti and Scotland in Group C.<\/p>\n<p>___<\/p>\n<p>Brazil<\/p>\n<p>Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Fenerbahce), Weverton (Gremio)<\/p>\n<p>Defenders: Alex Sandro, Danilo, Leo Pereira (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Ibanez (Al-Ahli), Wesley (Roma), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Douglas Santos (Zenit St. Petersburg)<\/p>\n<p>Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo Santos (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al-Ittihad), Lucas Paqueta (Flamengo)<\/p>\n<p>Forwards: Endrick (Lyon), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Raphinha (Barcelona), Vinicius J\u00fanior (Real Madrid), Luiz Henrique (Zenit St. Petersburg), Neymar (Santos), Rayan (Bournemouth).<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=747\">Arsenal on the verge of Premier League title after beating Burnley<\/a><\/p>\n<p>___<\/p>\n<p>AP World Cup coverage: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/fifa-world-cup<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) \u2014 Neymar made Brazil\u2019s World Cup squad on Monday, a selection&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":752,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - 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