Brazil have named their World Cup 2026 squad — and Neymar is in it. After the ACL that finished his time at Al Hilal, after the months of rehabilitation, after the return to Santos and the goals and the press conferences, Carlo Ancelotti has called him up. He is 34. He plays for Santos. He is going to the World Cup. That is the story — but it is not the only one. Éderson left Manchester City for Fenerbahçe. Endrick left Real Madrid for Lyon. And Vinícius Júnior, the best wide attacker on the planet, arrives as the squad's undisputed first name on the team sheet.
Neymar's Return — The Selection That Changes Everything
Neymar's inclusion ends one of the most turbulent periods of his career. The ACL injury sustained with Al Hilal in October 2023 threatened to end his career. His return to Santos — the club where he grew up — was seen initially as a sentimental farewell tour. Instead it became a competitive resurrection. Goals, assists, and the kind of performances that reminded everyone why he was once considered the best player in the world.
Ancelotti's decision to include him is not sentiment — it is calculation. In a squad with Vinícius, Raphinha, Martinelli and Endrick, Brazil do not need Neymar to play 90 minutes every game. They need him for 30 minutes when a match is tight and a moment of individual quality can decide it. That version of Neymar still exists.
Éderson's departure from Manchester City to Fenerbahçe was one of the summer's most surprising transfers. The world-class goalkeeper swapped Premier League title races for Turkish football — and now competes with Alisson for Brazil's starting spot. Alisson, still performing at an elite level at Liverpool, is the likely starter. But having Éderson as cover is a luxury no other team in the tournament has.
Endrick at Lyon is the transfer that generated the most confusion. Real Madrid signed him from Palmeiras at 16 for a reported €60m — and then sold him to Lyon less than two years later. Whether this reflects a change in his development trajectory or simply a pragmatic decision about playing time, he arrives at the World Cup with more experience than his age suggests and a point to prove.
Key Players to Watch
The Flamengo Axis — Brazil's Domestic Backbone
Four players in this squad play for Flamengo: Alex Sandro, Danilo, Léo Pereira and Lucas Paquetá. Brazil's most successful domestic club provides a ready-made understanding within the group — players who share a training ground, a tactical system and a set of shared experiences. Ancelotti has used this Flamengo connection as a domestic anchor around which to build the wider squad.
The midfield is the squad's most conservative area. Bruno Guimarães and Casemiro as the double pivot — experience, physicality, defensive intelligence. Paquetá provides creativity from deep. Fabinho (Al Ittihad) is the fourth option if fitness allows. It is a midfield designed to protect and launch, not to dominate with the ball.
Nine attackers in a 26-man squad. The number reflects Ancelotti's challenge: he has the most talented collection of forwards Brazil have assembled since the early 2000s, and not all of them can start. Vinícius and Raphinha are the most likely wide starters. Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Igor Thiago (Brentford) and Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) compete for the centre-forward and support roles. Neymar and Endrick are rotation options with the potential to start any given match.
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Group C — Brazil's Route to the Knockout Rounds
Brazil are in Group C alongside Morocco, Scotland and one other team. On any objective assessment they are the group's overwhelming favourites. Morocco are a credible knockout-stage team, but Brazil's depth of quality across every position makes them near-impossible to plan against at group stage.
The real focus for Brazil's camp will be building combinations — specifically, finding which Vinícius-Raphinha-Neymar configuration works best and how much Endrick should be introduced. The group stage is Brazil's warm-up for the knockout rounds, where the tournament will actually be decided.
Group C teams:
World Cup History
One to Watch — Vinícius Júnior
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