4 Takeaways From Brazil's World Cup Roster Selection

Brazil hasn't won a World Cup since 2002. That's hardly a fun fact, that's a giant wound for this proud footballing nation. They're the five-time world champions who have spent the last 24 years arriving at tournaments as contenders and leaving with disappointment. 

Something had to change, and that something is Carlo Ancelotti, a man who has won everything in club football (as both a manager and player) and whose resting face has never once suggested he's worried about anything. As the first non-Brazilian in charge of the Seleção, the Italian-born Ancelotti will expect this 26-man squad to finally break that title drought. 

Here are my takeaways: 

When Ancelotti announced Neymar had made the Seleção during Monday's glitzy event in Rio de Janeiro, he received more applause than any other player. 

Neymar hasn't played for Brazil since October 2023. He tore his ACL against Uruguay, had surgery, experienced complications, returned to Santos, and has been the biggest topic of conversation in the Brazilian media in the months leading up to this roster decision. He is, after all, a living legend.

So here he is. Six goals and four assists in 2026 with Santos. Casemiro and Raphinha – even his Argentina rival and former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi – all publicly lobbied for him to be on the team. Ancelotti himself acknowledged that Neymar is much loved, not just by the players but by the public. 

The logic for bringing him onto the squad feels more emotional than anything else. But tournament football isn't just about logic. Even though he is in the twilight of his career, Neymar is the greatest Brazilian footballer produced in the last 15 years. Ancelotti has made his decision. This is Neymar's last World Cup. The only