Neymar Sh*cked As Brazil Snubs Him For France & Croatia Friendlies

According to Ireporter Online, Brazilian winger Neymar has spoken out following his exclusion from Brazil’s squad for this month’s international friendlies, admitting he is struggling to hide his disappointment.

The Santos forward was left out by head coach Carlo Ancelotti, who announced the squad on Monday ahead of clashes with France and Croatia. Ancelotti cited fitness concerns, stating that Neymar is not yet at full strength.

Addressing the media at an event in São Paulo, Neymar said, “I’m going to speak here, because I can’t keep this quiet. Obviously, I’m disappointed and sad not to have been selected. But I remain focused, day after day, training after training, match after match. We are going to reach our goal. There is still the final selection.”

The decision raises questions about Neymar’s readiness as the countdown to the World Cup intensifies. The former FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward is still regaining peak condition with Santos FC, who have had a sluggish start to the Brasileiro Serie A season, currently sitting 14th after one win in six matches. Neymar now faces a narrow window to impress, beginning with their upcoming fixture against SC Internacional.

Brazil will face France and Croatia without one of their star players as Ancelotti evaluates options ahead of finalizing the World Cup squad on May 19. The squad without Neymar includes goalkeepers Alisson (Liverpool), Bento (Al Nassr), and Éderson (Fenerbahce); defenders Alex Sandro (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Danilo (Flamengo), Douglas Santos (Zenit), Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal), Ibañez (Al-Ahly), Léo Pereira (Flamengo), Marquinhos (PSG), and Wesley (Roma); midfielders Andrey Santos (Chelsea), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al-Ittihad), and Gabriel Sara (Galatasaray); and forwards Endrick (Lyon), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Luiz Henrique (Zenit), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rayan (Bournemouth), Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid), and João Pedro (Chelsea).