Romario sends Neymar warning to Ancelotti: 'He better watch out'

Martin Macdonald

• 25 Mar 2026 05:30 CDT
• 3 min read

News

Brazil legend Romario has warned head coach Carlo Ancelotti that Neymar must be on the plane to the World Cup this summer.

The 2026 World Cup takes place across North America, with fixtures scheduled across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Selecao are the most successful team in the history of the tournament, with five World Cup victories to their name, though they haven't won the competition in over two decades, with the last win coming in Japan and South Korea in 2002.

One of the narratives dominating the headlines for Brazil heading into the World Cup is whether Ancelotti will take Neymar.

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward hasn’t been included in a senior Brazil squad for two-and-a-half years, with his last national team cap coming in a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay in October 2023 when he suffered a serious knee injury.

Ancelotti previously warned that the player will need to prove his fitness levels to be called up and that big names won't be selected on reputation alone. Indeed, for this week's friendly matches, the last international break before the World Cup, Neymar has not been called up.

There are some Brazilians who are campaigning for Neymar's involvement, no one more so than Romario, who warned "gentleman" Ancelotti that he must tread carefully over this particular issue.

"Neymar not being called up? That gentleman had better watch out… the national team is for the best players," the 1994 World Cup winner told Jornal O Dia.

"The Selecao is where the best and most talented players belong, and no manager should do without a player of Neymar’s calibre. He’d better watch out… it’s better to have a star like Neymar, even if he’s not 100%, than to call up just any other player.

"A star must play, always. I still hope to see Neymar prove on the pitch, in the Brazilian league, that he deserves a place in the final squad so that we can bring home our sixth World Cup title."

Ronaldo: Neymar must go to World Cup

'O Fenomeno' himself Ronaldo also believes Neymar should go to the World Cup due to his incredible record for his country, having scored 79 goals in 128 appearances, more than any other Brazilian.

"If Neymar is physically fit, I would take him to the World Cup. I am going to hope that Neymar is physically well. If he is, I am certain that Ancelotti will take him. He can help," R9 told CNN.

"Perhaps he will not play every match, but he is a player who has already proven his worth everywhere he has been.

"Lately he has been going through significant injuries, but we do not need to scout Neymar to take him to the World Cup. If Neymar is physically fit, I would take him."

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