Vinicius receives a harsh judgment from Coach Carlo Ancelotti in Brazil

Brazilian coach Carlo Ancelotti emphasized that he will only call up players who are in their best physical condition, citing forwards Vinicius and Neymar as prime examples.

Carlo Ancelotti spoke candidly about the futures of Neymar and Vinicius Junior with the Brazil national team. In an interview with Esporte Record, the Italian tactician warned that he will only select players who are in perfect physical shape for the World Cup, and if they are not at 100%, they could be completely excluded.

During the conversation, the former Real Madrid coach stressed that competition in Brazil’s attacking line is extremely fierce and no star player will receive special treatment: “Players must be at 100%. There are many quality players. If Vinicius is only at 90%, I will call someone else who is at 100%,” Ancelotti stated, making his uncompromising stance clear.

Neymar currently plays for Santos and has not been called up for any of the eight matches Ancelotti has managed since taking over mid-year. The forward is still in the process of recovering from a serious injury sustained against Uruguay in October 2023 and is working hard to return in time for the upcoming World Cup.

Ancelotti admitted when discussing the former PSG star: “I think he is a great talent.” However, he also noted that injuries have prevented Neymar from reaching ideal fitness during their time working together: “Neymar is in the same position as others, even though he has proven his exceptional talent,” the 65-year-old coach added.

Meanwhile, Vinicius maintains a close relationship with Ancelotti, built during their time together at Real Madrid. The forward highly values what the Brazil team is building toward their biggest goal.

“With Ancelotti, we are improving and forming a clear style of play. Everyone has had to immerse themselves in the World Cup atmosphere,” Vinicius shared a few weeks ago as he looked ahead to the tournament to be held in North America.

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