Former FC Barcelona star Neymar Jr has earned a surprise recall to the Brazil national football team squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after spending an extended period away from the national setup.

The Santos FC forward was officially named in Brazil’s squad for the tournament in North America during a presentation led by head coach Carlo Ancelotti at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro.

Although opinions were divided over Neymar’s return, supporters reacted with excitement and loud celebrations when his inclusion was confirmed.

The 34-year-old is set to feature for Brazil for the first time since 2023 as the five-time world champions complete their preparations for the World Cup.

Another major talking point from the squad announcement was the exclusion of João Pedro from Chelsea FC.

Meanwhile, Brazil’s squad still includes several high-profile names such as Vinícius Júnior of Real Madrid, Matheus Cunha and Casemiro of Manchester United, along with Alisson Becker from Liverpool FC.

“We have assembled a squad capable of producing quality football with a strong team spirit,” Ancelotti stated. “There is no perfect squad or perfect team. In my opinion, the team that shows the most resilience will have the best opportunity to win the World Cup.

“We are ambitious and want to win the tournament. Expectations are naturally high, and motivation will be very important in our preparations.”

Brazil have been drawn in Group C alongside the Haiti national football team, Scotland national football team, and Morocco national football team.