(Reuters) -Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti said Neymar's physical condition will be crucial for his inclusion in the national team for next year's World Cup, following the 33-year-old forward's omission from recent qualifiers.
Ancelotti left Neymar out of his 23-man squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Bolivia, citing a minor leg muscle injury. However, Neymar later said his exclusion was for technical reasons.
The former Barcelona and Paris St Germain player has not donned the famous yellow jersey since October 2023, when he suffered serious knee ligament injuries that have plagued his comeback attempts.
"We are not going to observe how Neymar plays, obviously. Everyone knows his talent," Ancelotti told ESPN Brasil on Friday.
"In modern football, to take advantage of his talent, the player has to be in good physical condition. If he is in his best physical condition, he will have no problems being in the national team.
"Everyone wants Neymar in the national team in good physical condition. I spoke with him and I said, 'You have time to prepare in the best way to be there and help the team try to do their best in the World Cup'."
Neymar has shown flashes of brilliance since returning to his boyhood club, Santos, from Saudi side Al-Hilal.
However, his struggles were laid bare last month when he left the pitch in tears following Santos' crushing 6-0 defeat by Vasco da Gama.
Ancelotti said he sees Neymar playing centrally, either as an attacking midfielder or striker.
"I spoke with him ... Everything is clear, the idea remains the same," Ancelotti said.
"He can't play on the outside because modern football needs forwards who have physical quality, it's very important. He can play as an attacking midfielder without problems."
Brazil, who have already qualified for the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States, will next be in action when they face South Korea in a friendly match in Seoul on October 10.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)
