According to Sport, Neymar will continue to watch this FIFA World Cup from the Brazil bench. Ancelotti brought him to the tournament to appease fans, but internally, he was asked to accept that he is simply one member of the team.

Casemiro, Danilo, and Marquinhos, key figures in the locker room who had pleaded with Ancelotti for his inclusion and guaranteed they would keep the "star" in check, have also delivered on their promise.

Neymar has played only 14 minutes in this FIFA World Cup, handed to him by Ancelotti in Brazil's comfortable 3-0 victory over Scotland in Miami, which helped the team secure top spot in Group C. The number 10 celebrated the moment at length. After tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while playing for Brazil in Montevideo in October 2023, and spending almost 1000 days away from the national team, Neymar has finally returned.

The outside world initially expected Neymar to gradually become the protagonist. However, in the first knockout stage match, his appearance was put on hold. Brazil defeated Japan 2-1 in the round of 16, with Neymar warming up on the bench but not playing. Gabriel-Martinelli scored the winning goal in the 96th minute, helping Brazil narrowly advance.

In Houston, Endrick, who played the entire second half, ranked ahead of Neymar in Ancelotti's attacking priorities, as did Martinelli.

The Italian's command of press conferences is unmatched, and he quickly quelled any controversy. "Initially, I told Neymar he would come on in the 60th or 65th minute, but after Casemiro's goal brought them level, I didn't want to change the formation again because the team had control of the game," the Italian coach explained. He also revealed, "The original plan was for Neymar to play in extra time." But Martinelli's goal changed everything.

No Showdown with Haaland

On Sunday, Brazil will face a formidable opponent at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey: Haaland's Norway. Raphinha was unable to recover from his injury in time, and his return has been delayed until a potential quarter-final match against Mexico or England.

The current focus is on who will replace Lucas Paquetá, who has torn a muscle in his left thigh and has been ruled out of the tournament. Ancelotti will not play a forward in that role, so Neymar has been ruled out. Botafogo player Danilo-Santos appears to be the most likely choice; the defensive midfielder has become a goal-scoring player since converting to an inverted midfielder.

Although Neymar himself says he can play "90 or 120 minutes," Ancelotti views him only as an option for 30 minutes at most. Therefore, depending on how the match against the "Vikings" unfolds, Neymar will either come on as a substitute in the closing stages of the second half or feature in potential extra time.

Martinelli's consistent performances have put him ahead of Neymar in attack. The Arsenal winger played centrally against Japan. Ancelotti views the former Barcelona player as a false nine, keeping him as close to goal as possible, as his body is no longer suited to extensive sprints. He will therefore compete for a place with starters Matheus Cunha, Endrick, Thiago – the latter performed poorly in the first group-stage match against Morocco and then disappeared – and Martinelli.

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