On the eve of Brazil's opener against Morocco, coach Carlo Ancelotti stressed the importance of respecting opponents and shared expectations about Neymar's return.
Carlo Ancelotti gave a press conference on Friday (12) in East Rutherford, New Jersey, one day before Brazil's opening match at the 2026 World Cup. The Italian will lead the team against Morocco on Saturday (13) at 19h in New Jersey.
Ancelotti said fear is essential for success. “Medo é algo importante da vida. Se você não tem medo, o leão te parece um gato”, he stated. He also highlighted the honor of coaching the most decorated national team and expressed optimism about the preparation.
Regarding Neymar, the coach confirmed that the 34-year-old forward, recovering from a left calf injury, is expected to rejoin group training next week. Ancelotti justified the player's call-up due to his experience and role as an example for younger teammates. The likely lineup for the match includes Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães and Alex Sandro; Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães, Paquetá and Matheus Cunha; Raphinha and Vinicius Junior.