The star of Santos team, Neymar Junior, is counting the days before the 2026 World Cup finals, as he has less than 77 days left to convince coach Carlo Ancelotti that he deserves to return to the Brazilian national team and participate in what might be the last World Cup in his career.

According to Spanish press reports, Neymar's current situation does not favor him, as he is not in his best physical condition following a series of injuries that have affected his performance in recent times, and his return to peak fitness seems difficult at the moment.

Neymar suffered a long absence in 2025 due to a severe cruciate ligament injury before returning to the field and subsequently undergoing another surgery to regain his physical readiness, in an attempt to return to his well-known level.

For his part, Carlo Ancelotti and the Brazilian Football Confederation clarified that Neymar's return to the national team is contingent upon reaching full readiness, with the Italian coach affirming that the team needs players in their best physical and technical conditions.

Neymar began this year with a special plan that includes a dietary and training program in coordination with his club Santos, aiming to avoid setbacks and gradually regain his fitness, but some off-field events have impacted his efforts to make a strong comeback.

His absence from a match attended by Ancelotti and Brazilian Football Confederation officials to monitor him raised controversy, leading to his exclusion from the national team's latest squad, with the coach stating that the player needs more work before considering recalling him.

Nonetheless, the dream of participating in the World Cup remains alive for Neymar, especially with the support of several Brazilian football legends who believe he can make a difference if he manages to regain his readiness before the tournament begins.