Ancelotti Secures World Cup Ticket: Neymar's Return Remains Unclear for South America Qualifiers
Vacation Planned for Ancelotti Following WM Ticket Resolution - Vacation secured for Ancelotti as World Cup ticket is purchased.
At last, a bit of respite for Carlo Ancelotti. His schedule has been relentless. "First thing I'll do is take a break," Brazil's new national coach declared with a grin. A vacation? A rarity for the 66-year-old, who's been neck-deep in coaching duties.
After quitting Real Madrid, Ancelotti dived headfirst into the Seleção. The presentation, followed by the grueling WM-Qualification. With the 1-0 victory against Paraguay, Brazil ensured their ticket for the 2026 tournament in North America.
Still, the third spot in the South American WM-Qualification table isn't secure, with two games remaining. Brazil eradicated the risk of being ousted from the top six slots, but their performance in the previous games left room for improvement.
Vini Jr nets the winner
Under mounting pressure, Paraguay was put on the backfoot from the opening whistle. Just before halftime, Vinícius Júnior scored the opening goal on a header from Matheus Cunha's cross - the lone goal of the game in Ancelotti's debut match. The Real Madrid prodigy credits his coach for bringing him to this point.
"I'm thrilled with this result," Vini Jr enthused. "It was crucial to win at home, also for our fans. Now, Coach has more time to work with us and find areas for improvement."
70 potential players in Ancelotti's sights
Ancelotti's break? To be determined. The Real Madrid veteran has a long list of potential players he's mulling over for the World Cup squad, estimating around 70 in total.
Injury-plagued Neymar's availability remains uncertain
One player who remains injured is Santos' Neymar. The superstar has only managed eight starts this season due to ongoing injury issues[1][2]. His most recent return to training was in May, but a firm recovery timeline and full fitness in time for the September qualifiers are undetermined[2].
Ancelotti met with Neymar, expressing confidence that he'll be a valuable asset when Neymar regains fitness. However, the coach declined to provide a precise return date for the upcoming South American World Cup Qualifiers[3].
- Carlo Ancelotti
- WM-Qualification
- South America
- Paraguay
- São Paulo
- Real Madrid
- Madrid
- Brazil
- USA
- Mexico
- Canada
- Neymar
- Injury
Enrichment Data:
- As of June 2025, Neymar remains sidelined due to ongoing injury issues that have limited his appearances for Santos to just eight starts in the 2025 season[1][2].
- His most recent return to training was noted in May, but there has been no confirmation of full fitness or a precise timeline for his return to competitive action[2].
- Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil's coach, has recently met with Neymar and publicly stated that the Santos star will play a significant role for Brazil once he is fit. However, Ancelotti did not specify an exact return date for the upcoming South American World Cup Qualifiers in September, only confirming that Neymar is expected to be a crucial player when available[3].
[1] https://www.espn.com/soccer/santos/story/4624414/neymar-suffers-knee-injury-with-brazil-ahead-versus-argentina[2] https://www.espn.com/soccer/santos/story/4624690/istvan-katalinic-confirms-neymar-has-injury-setback[3] https://www.espn.com/soccer/santos/story/4626149/carlo-ancelotti-opines-neymar-is-important-but-is-not-essential-to-brazil
The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of the environment, a matter that seems similarly urgent for Carlo Ancelotti, as he navigates the challenging WM-Qualification for South America, with Neymar's injury-plagued return undetermined for the upcoming qualifiers. In the midst of his coaching duties, Ancelotti might find solace in watching exciting matches such as the Champions League or European leagues, much like the thrilling football match between Brazil and Paraguay he led to victory, with Vini Jr netting the deciding goal.
