Carlo Ancelotti (67), the Brazil coach leading the Brazil national soccer team, is troubled over whether to select superstar Neymar (34, Santos) for the World Cup. He was so unsure he even asked the president.
On the 15th (Korea time), the Daily Mail of the U.K. reported that Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (81), the president of Brazil, abruptly released the contents of a conversation he had with coach Ancelotti during a live broadcast on his YouTube channel.
President Lula said, "Coach Ancelotti asked me, 'Do you think Neymar should be picked for the World Cup?'",
Coach Ancelotti expressed concern amid the heated public opinion that Neymar should be picked, saying, "His physical condition is not completely 100%." He is determined to take only players who are in the absolute best condition to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America.
To that, President Lula replied, "If his physical condition is perfect, his skill (football intelligence) is sufficient. But what I really want to know is whether he truly wants the World Cup," he said.
What President Lula was referring to was Neymar's professional discipline. He emphasized, "Neymar should take players like Cristiano Ronaldo (41, Al Nassr) or Lionel Messi (39, Inter Miami) as examples."
He also said, "Neymar is not old yet and can still play for the national team," but added pointed advice: "He must give up the idea of going based solely on his 'name value.' He must prove his worth on the field."
Criticism of Neymar for off-field behavior beyond his skills has deepened Ancelotti's dilemma. Recently, Neymar became the center of controversy for making sexist remarks while protesting a referee's decision after a match between Santos of the Brazilian Serie A and Hemo.
At the time, Neymar mocked referee Sávio Pereira Sampaio (41) in an interview, saying, "It seems he woke up in a 'chico' state and came to the match today," drawing fierce criticism. 'Chico' is Brazilian slang indicating a woman is on her period.
As the controversy grew, Neymar explained on his YouTube channel, "It was a light remark meaning the referee seemed very stressed. I had no intention of denigrating women, and I was unaware of the word's etymology," but local public opinion in Brazil remains cold.
Local opinion believes coach Ancelotti will not be able to ignore Neymar. Ancelotti has likewise said he would welcome Neymar's return at any time if his physical condition is good.
However, Ancelotti appears to be torn between Neymar's symbolic status as Brazil's all-time leading scorer and his thoughtless actions that harm team morale. What choice will coach Ancelotti, who even sought advice from the president of Brazil, make?
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