Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has ruled out dropping Neymar from his 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, even as the forward manages a grade 2 calf muscle injury ahead of the tournament.

Ancelotti expressed confidence that Neymar would be fit for Brazil's opening group-stage fixture against Morocco, though he acknowledged the possibility of a longer recovery timeline.

"To be clear, Neymar is going to be with us. We think he can recover for the first match against Morocco and, if not, for the second against Haiti," Ancelotti told reporters.

The Italian coach was unequivocal about all 26 players making the trip: "No doubt that these 26 players are going to play in the World Cup."

Shared responsibility over individual stars

Ancelotti was candid about the challenge facing this Brazilian generation — a squad without the individual brilliance that once defined the Seleção. He acknowledged that Brazil do not currently possess a player of the stature of Pelé, Romário, or Ronaldo, but argued that collective responsibility could fill that void.

"Sometimes we talk a lot about how Brazil doesn't have a star. It might be true, we don't have Pelé, Romário, and Ronaldo, but we can have a shared responsibility," he said.

The 65-year-old coach urged his more experienced players to shoulder greater demands while protecting the younger members of the squad from excess pressure.

"The more experienced player has to have more responsibility, the younger player has to have less pressure. We all have a lot of responsibility and pressure — and what should we do? Share it. It can't be individual; we have to share the pressure so that it decreases a little," Ancelotti explained.

Defensive focus central to preparations

Ancelotti revealed that Brazil's pre-tournament work has placed particular emphasis on defensive structure, while he remains committed to preserving the freedom and creativity of his attacking players.

"We've worked a lot on defense. I don't want to take away the creativity of the attacking players — they have a lot of quality. Defensively, it's a daily piece of information until the last game of the World Cup," he said.

He stressed that every position on the pitch carries responsibility in his system. "The defenders, full-backs, midfielders — they all have a very important role," Ancelotti added.