Neymar faces a fight for minutes at the World Cup, with Brazil coach Ancelotti stating the forward must play centrally and compete with Vinicius Junior and Raphinha. Neymar is also racing to recover from a calf problem before Brazil meet Morocco on June 13.

Ancelotti has already ruled out using Neymar in wide roles after watching Vinicius, Raphinha, Matheus Cunha and Luiz Henrique impress against Panama. Casemiro and Bruno Guimaraes anchored midfield in that 6-2 win, which Neymar missed as Brazil continued preparations in the United States.

Ancelotti made Neymar’s tactical role clear, insisting there is no place for Neymar on the flank. The coach explained that Neymar must line up as a central forward or attacking midfielder, in the same zones where Vinicius and Raphinha operated in the recent friendly.

“Neymar has to play in the position he’s meant to play,” Ancelotti said. “That is in the centre of the field; he can’t play on the wing. He won’t play as a winger; he’ll play in the centre of the field, as a forward or attacking midfielder, in one of those positions. That’s the position Vinicius and Raphinha played today.”

Neymar has not appeared for the Selecao for almost three years, despite standing as Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 international goals. A torn anterior cruciate ligament against Uruguay in late 2023 halted national team action and limited club minutes with Al-Hilal.

After only seven appearances for Al-Hilal, Neymar rejoined boyhood club Santos last year and has slowly built rhythm. That mini resurgence earned a place in Ancelotti’s 26-player World Cup squad, although the current calf issue keeps participation in the opening match uncertain.

At Santos in Brazil’s Serie A this year, Neymar has logged 686 minutes, all in central areas. Tracking data shows 49% of that time as a striker and 51% as a number 10, matching Ancelotti’s plan to avoid using Neymar as a winger during the tournament.

Neymar and Brazil World Cup records and competition

Neymar’s history with Brazil remains substantial. Only Cafu, with 142 appearances and World Cup wins in 1994 and 2002, has more caps than Neymar’s 128. Neymar’s 79 goals place the forward two ahead of Pele, who scored 77 for the national team.

Neymar is also one of only three players to both score and assist in each of the last three World Cups. The others are Lionel Messi and Ivan Perisic. That record helps explain why Ancelotti still sees value, even with intense competition in Brazil’s attacking positions.

Ancelotti also faced questions about Lucas Paqueta’s place in the side, given Paqueta’s past role with Brazil and time at West Ham. The coach preferred to delay tactical detail, hinting that final choices will only become clear once the World Cup is underway.

“I want to keep things a bit under wraps until the World Cup, otherwise we’ll run out of things to talk about! It’s a bit of a help for you lot, because we’ve run out of things to say about Neymar.”

Before those group games, Brazil finish preparation against Egypt in Cleveland, with Neymar again expected to sit out. Whether fully fit or not, Neymar will enter the World Cup as a central option, competing directly with Vinicius and Raphinha for a starting position.