Out of Brazil's opener but will Ancelotti's Neymar gamble pay off?

Brazil's top men's scorer is back. The Seleção, though? Hardly united. Ancelotti's pick of Neymar split opinions the moment it dropped. The guy hasn't pulled on the national shirt since 2023. And his club form for Santos? Eight appearances this season. All at home. Sky Sports reports he's nowhere near World Cup shape. Shocker.

Even Ancelotti admitted it was a tough call. He conceded Joao Pedro got a raw deal, despite his own sparse national team appearances. Neymar's case? Not exactly ironclad, the coach practically confessed.

Cafu, the last guy to lift the World Cup for Brazil, backs the whole thing. "Neymar can be important for any team," the legendary right-back told Sky Sports. "Seeing Neymar playing well, physically and technically, that can help the Brazil team a lot." Sure, Cafu. Only problem? Nobody's seen that version of Neymar in ages.

Don't mistake this for pure sentiment. Ancelotti's move has a cynical logic. The Neymar circus was coming this summer, selection or not. By calling him up and barking about 'no special privileges,' Ancelotti shoves the problem onto Neymar himself. Prove your fitness, kid. The dream? Neymar pops up with a few magical cameos, sparking the team. Not, you know, just piling on more drama.

Neymar's World Cup story? A parade of missed chances and pure agony. Too young in 2010. Injured in 2014, just before that infamous 7-1 German hammering. Crippled by injuries again in 2018 and 2022. Qatar saw him bag a stunner in extra time, quarter-final. Then Croatia equalised in the 117th. Penalties. Gone. He needs a better ending. Badly. Can Ancelotti actually pull one out of a hat? That's the million-dollar question.