Ancelotti Explains the Reason Behind Neymar's Poor Performance at the 2026 World Cup

Brazil national team head coach Carlo Ancelotti evaluated the team star Neymar's performance in the tournament during his speech dedicated to the World Cup results. The Italian specialist did not hide that he was very upset by the player's physical condition and preparation, while also praising his professionalism.

Zamin.uz presents the details of this sensational statement and Neymar's actual statistics at the 2026 World Cup.

Under criticism: "Neymar only got back to his best by the fourth game"

In an interview with the Brazilian press service, Carlo Ancelotti openly stated that he was dissatisfied with the preparation process Neymar brought to the tournament. According to him, the player had to reach optimal sports form before the tournament started.

From Carlo Ancelotti's statement:

"The only thing that upset me was that Neymar should have prepared better before the start of the tournament and reached his optimal sports form from the very first match, not just by the fourth game."

This statement is considered one of the harshest criticisms made by the head coach against the nation's number ten. Expertsbelieve that Ancelotti does not doubt Neymar's individual skill, but rather wants him to rethink his approach to major tournaments.

Unexpected praise: "His attitude was ideal"

Despite the harsh criticism, the Italian specialist highly praised Neymar's impact on the team atmosphere and his responsibility in training. This shows Ancelotti's complex and comprehensive approach to the player.

Ancelotti continued:

"In addition, his attitude was ideal. He took the recovery process seriously, helped the team, and worked very responsibly and attentively in training."

This recognition shows that Neymar is valued not only as a player on the pitch, but also as an experienced team member.

When facts speak: How many minutes did Neymar play at the 2026 World Cup?

Statistics also confirm that there are serious grounds behind the coach's criticism. Neymar participated in only two matches at the 2026 World Cup, coming on as a substitute in both of them.

• Against Scotland (Group stage, final match): Came on as a substitute.

• Against Norway (Round of 16): Joined the game in the 67th minute.

These figures clearly show that Neymar was not fully ready to help the team at the beginning of the tournament.

Summary table

The situation around the Brazil national team and Neymar has always been at the center of the football world. Such an open statement by the coach will naturally cause new discussions.

Share this article immediately with your friends, colleagues, and football fan groups!

Do you think Carlo Ancelotti's criticism is fair? Can Neymar turn his career around? Leave your thoughts and guesses in the comments!