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Brazil's Neymar obsession could end in 2026 FIFA World Cup failure
Did Carlo Ancelotti pick Neymar because of what he can offer on the pitch, or because he was simply forced to select the Santos forward?
Brazilian football has revolved around Neymar for more than a decade now. New stars have emerged, coaches have come and gone, but the conversation has always returned to the former Barcelona attacker. The ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup perfectly reflects Neymar's influence over Brazilian football.
When Carlo Ancelotti announced his World Cup squad, Neymar wasn't expected to be included. But under pressure from fans and current and former players, Ancelotti included him on the roster, with Joao Pedro missing out.
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The uncomfortable question about Neymar's inclusion
On paper, it looked like a romantic story. Brazil's all-time leading scorer had battled injuries for years and was returning to the biggest stage after three years away from the international setup.
But beneath that facade is an uncomfortable question. Did Ancelotti pick Neymar because of what he can offer on the pitch, or because he was simply forced to select the Santos forward?
The campaign to bring the forward back to the squad was impossible to ignore. The Neymar PR machine saw current and former players like Casemiro and Marcelo call for his inclusion. When Neymar was excluded from a pair of friendlies this year before the World Cup, he even posted his reaction on the video, and it was similar to reality television. Even Rio Ferdinand called for Neymar's inclusion on his YouTube podcast, although he is not from Brazil.
But after getting selected for the World Cup, it was revealed that Neymar was injured. Instead of dropping him, he continued with the squad and has finally recovered for his side's final group stage game against Scotland.
Pedro had enjoyed an impressive season with Chelsea and was a key cog in the Brazil setup. His absence from the roster came as a shock. It totally showed that reputation was the deciding factor over current form.
Due to Pedro's absence, there is a lack of depth at centre forward. Neymar won't be playing in that role, but who will he replace? He can't replace Vinicius Jr or Raphinha, and even Endrick or Gabriel Martinelli are way ahead of him in terms of form.
The Neymar phenomenon is becoming problematic for Brazil, and it could just be the main reason for their failure, if they don't reach the semifinals at least. Neymar's inclusion is like a mascot taking up a squad role, without contributing on the field.
Brazil's greatest World Cup-winning sides weren't built around a single superstar. Those teams had depth, balance and competition for places. But now, Neymar's inclusion just takes away those elements.
Are Brazil even trying to build for the future, or are they stuck in the past? The fans are still clinging to Neymar's shadow. The fans are not the only ones to blame; the former and current players are also to blame. They put pressure on Neymar's inclusion, even though he was in poor form, showing that friendship was the deciding factor, not performance, in their statements.
Brazil produce stars in endless supply, but now the Neymar conundrum is probably going to be the most controversial chapter in their football history.
