Brazil World Cup squad: Lionel Messi urges Carlo Ancelotti to include Neymar in 26-man group

Lionel Messi has called connected Neymar to beryllium selected successful Brazil's squad for the 2026 World Cup.

The 2 legendary attackers are nary strangers to each different having been teammates astatine Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain respectively.

However, astatine 38 and 34 years of age, the brace are astatine the backmost extremity of their careers, and the upcoming tourney successful the United States, Canada and Mexico volition realistically beryllium their past accidental to correspond their nations connected the biggest stage.

While Messi is successful enactment to beryllium included successful Argentina's squad, Neymar has not played for Brazil since October 2023.

Nevertheless, speaking to Pollo Alvarez connected his Lo del Pollo show, Messi has talked up the request for Neymar to beryllium handed a astonishment call-up by Carlo Ancelotti.

"We privation the champion players there"

Although Messi acknowledged that helium was speaking connected the behalf of his friend, the Inter Miami prima says that Neymar remains arsenic 1 of the "best players" successful the world.

Messi said: "We privation the champion players to beryllium determination [at the World Cup] and Neymar, nary substance his form, volition ever beryllium 1 of them.

"It would beryllium fantastic to spot him astatine the World Cup due to the fact that of what helium means to Brazil and to football. I anticipation helium tin beryllium there, but I can't beryllium objective, due to the fact that helium ever has to beryllium there.

"I can't beryllium objective. Neymar is simply a person . Obviously, I'd emotion for him to beryllium astatine the World Cup, for bully things to hap to him due to the fact that helium deserves it for the benignant of idiosyncratic helium is. And I anticipation helium tin beryllium there."

Will Ancelotti see Neymar Brazil call-up?

When Ancelotti has ne'er selected Neymar since becoming Brazil manager successful May 2025, it feels highly improbable that helium volition alteration his attack to the situation.

As acold arsenic Neymar is concerned, the 128-cap planetary and Brazil's all-time apical goalscorer has enactment unneurotic respectable numbers for Santos successful 2026.

Five goals and 3 assists person travel from 12 appearances, but helium has been absent from their past 2 league squads.

Injuries person hindered his progress since the backmost extremity of past year, and that is thing that Ancelotti volition nary uncertainty instrumentality into consideration.

At this point, it would instrumentality injuries to cardinal Brazil players for Neymar to instrumentality to the planetary stage.