FIFA World Cup 2026 :Canada/Mexico/United States: Discussion Thread

[snipie]

He didn't make a good impression in the Santos jersey, if he had, Neymar could have worn the Brazilian jersey.
No one can doubt his experience and talent, we know his problem is recurring injuries and his subsequent lack of form.
Ancelotti can't and doesn't want to take that risk. Ancelotti wants Neymar as long as he's fit, but we know he can't provide that kind of consistency right now.
If he meets the required conditions and everything goes well, he will be included in the squad.

Neymar is the example of a talented player who try each time to ruin his career, if he didn't do it already.
Ancelotti does not joke about not calling him for World Cup if he is not fit and we all know his current form
Since he left Barcelona, his injuries rates increased. Then since he left PSG, his playing time is worse than some substitutes. With Santos.. the situation is not any better because he failed to prove himself the way Messi did with Inter Miami or Cristiano Ronaldo did with Al-Nassr.
Neymar contract with Santos will expire in December and he has whether to renew his contract there or accept to join Messi in MLS. Obviously, these options will not guarantee anything if he doesn't start to take his profession seriously and proving himself as a key player.

[PokerBetting]

He didn't make a good impression in the Santos jersey, if he had, Neymar could have worn the Brazilian jersey.
No one can doubt his experience and talent, we know his problem is recurring injuries and his subsequent lack of form.
Ancelotti can't and doesn't want to take that risk. Ancelotti wants Neymar as long as he's fit, but we know he can't provide that kind of consistency right now.
If he meets the required conditions and everything goes well, he will be included in the squad.

Neymar is the example of a talented player who try each time to ruin his career, if he didn't do it already.
Ancelotti does not joke about not calling him for World Cup if he is not fit and we all know his current form
Since he left Barcelona, his injuries rates increased. Then since he left PSG, his playing time is worse than some substitutes. With Santos.. the situation is not any better because he failed to prove himself the way Messi did with Inter Miami or Cristiano Ronaldo did with Al-Nassr.
Neymar contract with Santos will expire in December and he has whether to renew his contract there or accept to join Messi in MLS. Obviously, these options will not guarantee anything if he doesn't start to take his profession seriously and proving himself as a key player.

After Neymar left the European club and often gets injured, he was rarely used again in the Brazilian national team. What's more, in Carlo Ancelotti's coaching era, he hasn't been called up to the national team even once. Carlo Ancelotti, who is a former Real Madrid coach, seems reluctant and has a slight dislike for former Barcelona players, who were eternal rivals when he coached the Spanish club Real Madrid.

[reefsea]

However, what we can see from the Brazilian national team is that ego sometimes outweighs teamwork, and this is repeated. In terms of player quality, they have many players with excellent qualities, even considered grade A in individual ability, but when they work together, they appear very poor, and that can ultimately be a problem.
Their performance has become very erratic as a result, causing them to appear very good at one moment and then very poor in terms of chemistry and teamwork at another.

Now that they have such a strong coach they don't have to question every choice he makes, it reminds me a lot of Italy who are going through a bad period and every time it was the coach's fault when in reality one of the main problems were the players who didn't try hard enough.

I just want to see what Brazil will do and how far they can go with their current squad at the world cup.
They are already strong enough with the star players, they also have a coach who in terms of popularity and achievements is obviously very good but if in the end the situation remains the same then maybe there is something difficult to change from the current Brazilian national team because the behavior of the players is sometimes a little difficult especially when they have a very big name then there is definitely a separate ego that can make the situation chaotic.

Almost all national teams have experienced phases like this but it is natural because performance sometimes goes up and down but obviously must always be improved and those who now look good enough like Portugal they must be able to strive to maintain their current performance because Portugal can also currently be said to be a national team that has players whose level is quite high because the players who are in each line are very qualified.

[Ale88]

After Neymar left the European club and often gets injured, he was rarely used again in the Brazilian national team. What's more, in Carlo Ancelotti's coaching era, he hasn't been called up to the national team even once. Carlo Ancelotti, who is a former Real Madrid coach, seems reluctant and has a slight dislike for former Barcelona players, who were eternal rivals when he coached the Spanish club Real Madrid.

With Santos he played only 13 games and scored only 3 goals, and he is often injured: how could Ancelotti call him up? This has nothing to do with playing for Barcelona or Real Madrid, do you really think Ancelotti, potentially the best coach in football history, is so childish? If Neymar wasn't injured all the time he would probably be part of the team.

[doomloop]

One thing I know is, Ancelotti is a very practical coach, he does not build a team around emotions or names but around performance and delivery. If Neymar is fully fit for the games and disciplined enough, I am pretty sure he will absolutely be in Ancelotti's first 11 plans because you cannot do away with Neymars creativity and game changing moments but if he is still struggling with fitness and he is inconsistent, I don't think Ancelotti will want to force him into the first 11 just because of his name. But he might just end up managing him like he did with stars like Benzema or Ronaldo using him wisely. He may decide not to use him in all his matches but where his impacts can be felt. What I know can happen is if Ancelotti discovers Neymar body or attitude does not fit the squads rhythm, he won't hesitate to rotate him with younger and more hungrier players in the team.

While he is a good coach, I think there is a bit of a situation where he just got the job because he was good with players from this team before. I mean when he was at Real Madrid, he was the coach for Rodrygo and Vini, so that meant that the best players of this team was already his players, so they hired him to keep that going.

This they did alright, nothing shocking about that, Brazil doing badly for a while was the real shocker, and I think it's quite clear that we are going to see them at world cup doing fine, but not winning it. They are "good", but not the best in the world right now, I still think France has a huge chance, they found the best golden generation in a long time and unless someone gets injured, they have the highest chance.

[Sithara007]

With Santos he played only 13 games and scored only 3 goals, and he is often injured: how could Ancelotti call him up? This has nothing to do with playing for Barcelona or Real Madrid, do you really think Ancelotti, potentially the best coach in football history, is so childish? If Neymar wasn't injured all the time he would probably be part of the team.

IMO, Neymar is the best player in Brazil currently and he deserves a place in the squad. His fitness level and attitude is a different topic altogether. But in the end, Ancelotti will make the decision. The fact remains that Brazil is severely weakened if Neymar is not part of the team. This is not the Brazil of 1990s, when they had several legends playing at the same time. Football in Brazil deteriorated over the years. It happened gradually and slowly, so most of the critics didn't gave much attention to it.

[retreat]

His fitness and health are likely the main issues Ancelotti is considering as to why he hasn't included Neymar in the Brazil squad. His performances for Santos haven't been particularly impressive so far, and coupled with his physical condition not yet fully recovered from a long injury, it's a serious concern for his ability to play for the Brazilian squad. This is certainly a dilemma for him, as he still desperately wants to play for Brazil once again, but with his condition like this, I don't think Ancelotti wants to risk anything further.

He didn't make a good impression in the Santos jersey, if he had, Neymar could have worn the Brazilian jersey.
No one can doubt his experience and talent, we know his problem is recurring injuries and his subsequent lack of form.
Ancelotti can't and doesn't want to take that risk. Ancelotti wants Neymar as long as he's fit, but we know he can't provide that kind of consistency right now.
If he meets the required conditions and everything goes well, he will be included in the squad.

And it is unlikely that he can recover quickly, because his fitness has been a long-standing issue and until now he has not shown any signs of a good recovery. With his physically unstable condition, his chances of being called up to the Brazil national team are not very high. So, whether he likes it or not, he also needs to prepare himself for the worst-case scenario that he will not get a spot on the team, and that is the best choice considering his current condition.

[banana33]

I just want to see what Brazil will do and how far they can go with their current squad at the world cup.
They are already strong enough with the star players, they also have a coach who in terms of popularity and achievements is obviously very good but if in the end the situation remains the same then maybe there is something difficult to change from the current Brazilian national team because the behavior of the players is sometimes a little difficult especially when they have a very big name then there is definitely a separate ego that can make the situation chaotic.

Almost all national teams have experienced phases like this but it is natural because performance sometimes goes up and down but obviously must always be improved and those who now look good enough like Portugal they must be able to strive to maintain their current performance because Portugal can also currently be said to be a national team that has players whose level is quite high because the players who are in each line are very qualified.

The Ego and feeling safe always leads to underestimating the situation, but currently Brazil is not a team that can afford a superior attitude.

He certainly has excellent players but, tat doesn't mean we can say today what results he could have in the World Cup, have you seen France? He has a roster of really high-performing players to date, but will they be able to achieve results? Will they be able to get to at least the top three? We can't know yet.

[giorgione]

The way everything has gone on in the field so far, I think it is going to be a problem for the Spain national team to actually have good chemistry between the players. The captain of the Spanish team is here beefing with young players like Lamine Yamal. There was actually a big scene caused by both of the teams after the match ended. We all know that Yamal already has a big ego and Carvajal is going to be the captain of Spain in the World Cup, most probably. He is definitely not going to take that disrespect. So there is obviously going to be a big gap in chemistry between the players of Spain in the upcoming World Cup. I dont think it would have been a problem if the players that are beefing were actually old. But the problem is, we have a youngster in the scene

Lamine Yamal received a lesson that he will not easily forget and it was the captain of his national team and teammate who gave it to him, I think it is a fair thing, certainly now in the national team there will be some disagreements but I think it served as a lesson.

[cande86]

Carlo Ancelotti always priority for calling player to national teams based consistent performance, getting more minutes playing with the club and never build up the teams based how popular that players. Important for player calling without get injury and recently Ancelotti have give chance for Neymar returning back to Brazil but he got injury around few days before world cup qualifying match begin. After returning from Al Hilal, Neymar have good attitude with his current teams Santos but he can't perform as well as still getting injury, not sure yet will the world cup 2026 has opportunity for him or not?
Six months left and Neymar must proof his consistent performance but not get injury any more if won't loss greatest chance, Brazil have many top talented at winger or attacking line position and Neymar must fighting hard if want back to national team for participating at world cup 2026.

In my opinion Carlo Ancelotti will certainly know what to do, in this case Neymar is a player who is very inconsistent and therefore he does not return to be called up, clearly this is something that he must be able to do first and foremost.

If Carlo Ancelotti sees him in good form I'm sure he will call him up.

[m4r1o]

With Santos he played only 13 games and scored only 3 goals, and he is often injured: how could Ancelotti call him up? This has nothing to do with playing for Barcelona or Real Madrid, do you really think Ancelotti, potentially the best coach in football history, is so childish? If Neymar wasn't injured all the time he would probably be part of the team.

Ancelotti is not someone who makes random choices if he can't play for Santos and, as you say, hes often injured.

I don't see why he should call him up. Making this choice is something that helps keep the team healthy. If he brings in players who don't play well now, he risks being out of action right away.

[martinom]

While he is a good coach, I think there is a bit of a situation where he just got the job because he was good with players from this team before. I mean when he was at Real Madrid, he was the coach for Rodrygo and Vini, so that meant that the best players of this team was already his players, so they hired him to keep that going.

This they did alright, nothing shocking about that, Brazil doing badly for a while was the real shocker, and I think it's quite clear that we are going to see them at world cup doing fine, but not winning it. They are "good", but not the best in the world right now, I still think France has a huge chance, they found the best golden generation in a long time and unless someone gets injured, they have the highest chance.

Dude I don't understand how you already claim that they won't win the world championship, surely they are perhaps not among the favourites, but we can't say on the basis of today's data, we'll find out later.
France has truly achieved a generation of really good players, they have an excellent chance of achieving great results if they are able to keep them in good physical health, if they start to overdo it with training and matches it would be a shame.

[changaa]

Neymar is the example of a talented player who try each time to ruin his career, if he didn't do it already.
Ancelotti does not joke about not calling him for World Cup if he is not fit and we all know his current form
Since he left Barcelona, his injuries rates increased. Then since he left PSG, his playing time is worse than some substitutes. With Santos.. the situation is not any better because he failed to prove himself the way Messi did with Inter Miami or Cristiano Ronaldo did with Al-Nassr.
Neymar contract with Santos will expire in December and he has whether to renew his contract there or accept to join Messi in MLS. Obviously, these options will not guarantee anything if he doesn't start to take his profession seriously and proving himself as a key player.

I don't understand what game Neymar is playing, does he want to achieve a goal? Do you only think about profit? It's really hurting, in my opinion it will go with Messi, I see it as the best solution.
Certainly this way of acting is not doing good for his reputation, but there is always time to take matters back into the hands of the player he once was.

I hope so for him, it would still be a shame he can give a lot to football.

[bitgolden]

An interesting theme to discussion, or one that at least really resonated with me, is the around ticket prices. The price for the opening day, in particular, is simply crazy. Similarly, FIFA has established an open market for ticket prices, which means they are heavily influenced by supply and demand. I don't think prices will be low, even for a team like Cape Verde...

I have had the opportunity to see some prices and although some even offer tickets with VIP services, they are sky-high.

FIFA is taking advantage of the prices and the fans a bit too much, I just hope everyone backs down.
Prices are getting very high and they know that everyone will pay to see their team even if I think that there are poor nations that cannot do it,I hope people realize and don't pay anymore

I am not sure how much of it is FIFA and how much of it is USA organization, but the reality is that when you make it at a place where everyone wants to go , the prices will be that high. Like for example, if compare it to Qatar, which nobody wanted to go to, they started out the price very high too, but then slowly dropped it low, and if you check the game replays, even a FIFA world cup game had half empty stadiums on group stages.

Because prices were high, and only Gatari rich people and a few tourists afforded them, and the other tourists who wanted to watch, only watched their own nations games, not all. But realizing empty stadium looks horrible, at some point prices dropped to nearly nothing close to game time, if you waited at the door, you could get in for like ten bucks or fifty bucks, easily. If USA fails to sell these tickets, I think same could happen there.

[KTChampions]

IMO, Neymar is the best player in Brazil currently and he deserves a place in the squad. His fitness level and attitude is a different topic altogether. But in the end, Ancelotti will make the decision. The fact remains that Brazil is severely weakened if Neymar is not part of the team. This is not the Brazil of 1990s, when they had several legends playing at the same time. Football in Brazil deteriorated over the years. It happened gradually and slowly, so most of the critics didn't gave much attention to it.

You're not even joking, you're making fun of. Neymar is practically retired now. When was the last time he played seriously? At PSG? Even there, he was very inconsistent (injuries, parties, and his sister's birthday, haha). After that, did he even have periods when he played seriously for at least a couple of months at a time? Right now, any Brazilian player who's not injured and training properly is better than him. Taking Neymar is an incredible risk, like buying a lottery ticket with your last money, but Brazil certainly isn't that bad.

[Ale88]

With Santos he played only 13 games and scored only 3 goals, and he is often injured: how could Ancelotti call him up? This has nothing to do with playing for Barcelona or Real Madrid, do you really think Ancelotti, potentially the best coach in football history, is so childish? If Neymar wasn't injured all the time he would probably be part of the team.

IMO, Neymar is the best player in Brazil currently and he deserves a place in the squad. His fitness level and attitude is a different topic altogether. But in the end, Ancelotti will make the decision. The fact remains that Brazil is severely weakened if Neymar is not part of the team. This is not the Brazil of 1990s, when they had several legends playing at the same time. Football in Brazil deteriorated over the years. It happened gradually and slowly, so most of the critics didn't gave much attention to it.

I agree that Neymar is still the best Brazilian player, but unfortunately that is on paper only. Think also about the rest of the team: how would many players feel like if they knew Ancelotti was calling us players based on their history and status rather than performances? That would immediately create a problem in the dressing room because it would mean that not everybody is the same.
It's a tough situation but unless Neymar plays a lot in the 7-8 months I don't see him participating in the next World Cup.

[pewboy]

I just want to see what Brazil will do and how far they can go with their current squad at the world cup.
They are already strong enough with the star players, they also have a coach who in terms of popularity and achievements is obviously very good but if in the end the situation remains the same then maybe there is something difficult to change from the current Brazilian national team because the behavior of the players is sometimes a little difficult especially when they have a very big name then there is definitely a separate ego that can make the situation chaotic.

Almost all national teams have experienced phases like this but it is natural because performance sometimes goes up and down but obviously must always be improved and those who now look good enough like Portugal they must be able to strive to maintain their current performance because Portugal can also currently be said to be a national team that has players whose level is quite high because the players who are in each line are very qualified.

I think that Brazil performances will be remarkable and it's not just me who says so but all the people who follow this national team, being Italian for me supporting Ancelotti comes naturally and i recognize that he is a great coach who always manages to do well

[verdinio]

No team will have a high profile manager like Carlo Ancelotti and want to question his choices because you already know that his selections are made for the best interest of the team and his results since he became the manager of Brazilian national team I think attests to the fact that he actually knows what he's doing.
The Brazil team is made up of quality world class players, they're so talented that their second VI can feature in the starting VI of any team in the world but with Carlo Ancelotti as the coach of the side, I strongly believe that he'll help make them play more like a team than individual quality players.

Carlo Ancelotti in fact cannot be blamed, or discussed, he is a person who can do and say what he wants and can do everything he wants with the Brazilian squad and no one should be allowed to say anything, then the choices he makes can be discussed later when they actually make sense on the pitch.

[reefsea]

I just want to see what Brazil will do and how far they can go with their current squad at the world cup.
They are already strong enough with the star players, they also have a coach who in terms of popularity and achievements is obviously very good but if in the end the situation remains the same then maybe there is something difficult to change from the current Brazilian national team because the behavior of the players is sometimes a little difficult especially when they have a very big name then there is definitely a separate ego that can make the situation chaotic.

Almost all national teams have experienced phases like this but it is natural because performance sometimes goes up and down but obviously must always be improved and those who now look good enough like Portugal they must be able to strive to maintain their current performance because Portugal can also currently be said to be a national team that has players whose level is quite high because the players who are in each line are very qualified.

The Ego and feeling safe always leads to underestimating the situation, but currently Brazil is not a team that can afford a superior attitude.

He certainly has excellent players but, tat doesn't mean we can say today what results he could have in the World Cup, have you seen France? He has a roster of really high-performing players to date, but will they be able to achieve results? Will they be able to get to at least the top three? We can't know yet.

We just need to see the breakthrough made by Ancelotti in this world cup, they are now confirmed to qualify for the world cup and of course this is a good situation to just make some good buzz and chemistry to make the situation favorable for the Brazilian national team later.

For France I think they are always quite entertaining with what they always show even in the previous world cup they fought until the final with a very long drama even though they could not lift the trophy in the final match because they had to recognize Argentina's superiority in the penalty shootout.
But since then they have declined a bit but now the opportunity is still there for France.

[Ahli38]

No team will have a high profile manager like Carlo Ancelotti and want to question his choices because you already know that his selections are made for the best interest of the team and his results since he became the manager of Brazilian national team I think attests to the fact that he actually knows what he's doing.
The Brazil team is made up of quality world class players, they're so talented that their second VI can feature in the starting VI of any team in the world but with Carlo Ancelotti as the coach of the side, I strongly believe that he'll help make them play more like a team than individual quality players.

Carlo Ancelotti in fact cannot be blamed, or discussed, he is a person who can do and say what he wants and can do everything he wants with the Brazilian squad and no one should be allowed to say anything, then the choices he makes can be discussed later when they actually make sense on the pitch.

Carlo Ancelotti has actually won many awards for the various teams he has coached. And he has had a lot of experience in various leagues and has even won the FIFA 2024 Best Men's Coach award (Source). And he has also proven his coaching abilities with various world-class players so far. So I don't think there's any reason to doubt Carlo Ancelotti or even blame him. He is a coach who truly walks the talk. So far he remains optimistic about Brazil's performance in the World Cup. And he seems serious about his words (Source). So I am confident in his decision as Brazil's coach and even in all of his choices.