Carlo Ancelotti: "34-year-old Neymar still plays with the passion of a child"

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti shared his warm thoughts about team star Neymar following the match against Scotland as part of the World Cup. The experienced specialist was amazed by the actions of the forward, who returned to the squad after a long break, and his infinite love for football. This was reported by Goal.com report states.

In the match held at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Brazil secured a convincing 3:0 victory. Neymar entered the pitch in the 72nd minute of the game, in which Vinicius Junior scored a brace and Matheus Cunha netted one goal. This provided the legendary "number ten" the opportunity to participate in a World Cup for the fourth consecutive time.

According to Goal.com, Neymar had not appeared for the national team since October 2023. After exactly 981 days, he returned to the pitch in the "yellow jersey". Carlo Ancelotti specifically recognized the player's professional approach to the rehabilitation process and the perseverance shown in restoring his physical condition.

Neymar's return and the issue of motivation

"He deserved to come on because he went through the recovery process very seriously and professionally," Ancelotti said at the post-match press conference. According to the coach, even though Neymar is in the final stage of his career, he acts on the field with great passion, like a young child.

To the Spanish journalists' question about whether Neymar needs additional motivation, Ancelotti gave a firm answer. He emphasized that playing for the "Selecao" is a huge honor for any footballer and no additional push is needed. It is evident in every move that for Neymar, football is not just a profession, but the meaning of life.

According to statistics, Neymar's World Cup legacy is significant: he has scored 8 goals and provided 4 assists in the tournament so far. The victory over Scotland led Brazil to the play-off stage as leaders of Group C.

Who will be the next opponent?

Now the Brazil national team will head to Houston to participate in the quarter-final match. In the next stage, they are expected to face one of the national teams of the Netherlands, Japan, or Sweden. Ancelotti understands that the decisive phase of the tournament is beginning and that the game will be quite difficult regardless of who the opponent is.

Brazil, led by the Italian specialist, continues to showcase its attacking and attractive football. The return of an experienced leader like Neymar is expected to have a positive impact on the team's internal atmosphere and become a victory factor in decisive matches.