A glimmer of hope for Neymar ahead of the 2026 World Cup, as he has been called up to Brazil’s 55-man preliminary squad that will be submitted to FIFA in the coming days.
Carlo Ancelotti unveils his first list for the World Cup, and as expected, Neymar’s name is on it. At 34, the Santos forward remains under close watch. However, his presence in the final 26-man squad, which will be announced later, is not guaranteed. The coaching staff will decide on his inclusion depending on his physical progress during preparations.
Estêvão under scrutiny and potential adjustments
Another situation being closely monitored is that of Estêvão. The young player, currently in recovery, is also expected to be named in the preliminary squad despite lingering doubts about his fitness. Should he be unavailable, FIFA regulations allow for his replacement by another player already listed in the expanded squad.
In this context, Brazil is also forced to deal with confirmed absences. Éder Militão and Rodrygo will not be available due to injuries deemed too severe to recover in time.
With Estêvão and Neymar, the Brazilian team is preparing to send 55 names to FIFA on Monday and plans to exchange them due to injury https://t.co/STyFwovjj3
— Diogo Dantas (@diogodantas) May 8, 2026
Indeed, the regulations allow for adjustments in the event of confirmed injuries, including the replacement of both outfield players and goalkeepers. Several profiles are already being considered to cover potential withdrawals, notably Rayan and Endrick, while Luiz Henrique is reportedly already assured of a spot in the final squad.
Piala Dunia 2026
Piala Dunia FIFA 2026 akan menjadi edisi paling revolusioner dalam sejarah sepak bola dunia. Turnamen ini untuk pertama kalinya akan diselenggarakan di tiga negara sekaligus, yaitu Amerika Serikat, Kanada, dan Meksiko. Selain itu, jumlah peserta juga meningkat dari 32 menjadi 48 tim, membuka peluang lebih besar bagi negara-negara dari berbagai konfederasi untuk tampil di panggung global. Format baru ini akan menghadirkan lebih banyak pertandingan, atmosfer kompetisi yang lebih luas, serta jangkauan penonton yang semakin besar di seluruh dunia.
Dengan skala yang jauh lebih besar, FIFA menargetkan turnamen ini sebagai ajang yang tidak hanya kompetitif tetapi juga spektakuler dari sisi teknologi dan pengalaman penonton. Stadion-stadion modern di berbagai kota tuan rumah telah dipersiapkan untuk menghadirkan pertandingan berkelas dunia, didukung oleh inovasi seperti peningkatan sistem VAR dan pengalaman digital bagi fans. diprediksi akan menjadi tonggak baru dalam evolusi sepak bola internasional, memperkuat popularitas olahraga ini sekaligus menciptakan momen-momen bersejarah yang akan dikenang dalam waktu lama.
