Brazil Squad Announced: Neymar Left Out of Upcoming Friendlies

With limited time to finalize his squad ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has reached a critical stage in team selection.

While the superstar forward was part of the preliminary list, Neymar Jr. has ultimately been left out of the final squad for the upcoming March FIFA international window.

On Monday night (March 16), Ancelotti announced a 26-member squad that will travel to the United States. Brazil is scheduled to face France in Boston on March 26, followed by a clash against Croatia in Orlando on March 31.

New Faces and Notable Absences
While Neymar is the headline omission, the squad features rising star Endrick and several debutants, including Léo Pereira, Gabriel Sara, Igor Thiago, and Rayan. Defensive mainstays Ibañez and Danilo have also returned to the setup.

The squad faces several injury setbacks:

Rodrygo Goes: The Real Madrid star's World Cup dreams with Brazil have reportedly come to an end, leaving him out of the national setup.

Injuries: Éder Militão, Bruno Guimarães, and Estêvão were not called up due to fitness concerns.

Ancelotti emphasized that the current selection was based strictly on player fitness.

Although he did not provide a specific reason for Neymar’s exclusion, it is widely believed that recent injuries—including missing his last match for Santos—influenced the decision.

"We need to see how the new players adapt to the national team environment," Ancelotti stated, adding that both those in the squad and those left out remain under constant observation.

Position	Players
Goalkeepers	Alisson, Bento, Ederson
Defenders	Alex Sandro, Bremer, Danilo, Douglas Santos, Gabriel Magalhães, Ibañez, Léo Pereira, Marquinhos, Vanderson (Wes)
Midfielders	André Santos, Casemiro, Danilo, Fabinho, Gabriel Sara
Forwards	Endrick, Gabriel Martinelli, Igor Thiago, João Pedro, Luiz Henrique, Matheus Cunha, Raphinha, Rayan, Vinícius Júnior