Brazil World Cup Squad News: Did Pedro Deserve to Miss Out at Neymar’s Expense?
Ben McAleer
The usual names made Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup. Vinicius Junior made the cut. So, too, did Raphinha. Premier League regulars Alisson, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bruno Guimaraes and Casemiro all received their call up.
However, one Premier League star was cruelly overlooked. No, we’re not talking about Brentford’s bruising hitman Igor Thiago. The Bees star has a seat on the plane. Rather, Chelsea striker Joao Pedro was unfairly overlooked.
Pedro left Brighton for Chelsea last summer in a bid to improve his World Cup chances. On paper, it was a move worth making. The 24-year-old enjoyed his most prolific campaign to date, scoring 15 times and laying on an additional five assists.
While signed as a support striker to supplement Liam Delap, the England hopeful joining from Ipswich, Pedro went on to make the starting striker role his own. Only Erling Haaland, Thiago and Antoine Semenyo have scored more league goals than the Chelsea man in England’s top tier this term.
In theory, then, Pedro should have been on the plane. There was an argument to be made that he’d lead the charge for the Selecao. There was a video of Pedro’s family watching the live announcement of Ancelotti’s squad with the expectation he’d make the cut doing the rounds on social media.
Pedro overlooked for Brazil's World Cup squad
And yet, Ancelotti opted to overlook the Blues star in favour of Santos and Brazil icon Neymar.
“We evaluated Neymar throughout the year and noticed that recently he has been playing consistently and has improved his physical condition,” Ancelotti said during Monday’s squad announcement in Rio de Janeiro.
“He has the same role and responsibilities as everyone else, but he is an experienced player. It’s true that in some positions we prioritised experience.”
Neymar has been working tirelessly to prove his fitness and justify his spot in the 2026 World Cup spot. The 34-year-old hasn’t exactly disappointed this season. Indeed, he has scored four and provided an additional two assists in the 2026 Brasileirao campaign, albeit from eight of a possible 16 games.
Injuries have impacted Neymar
The issue, though, stems from the inconsistency surrounding Neymar’s availability. The Brazil forward’s knee issues are no secret. They are one that stems from an ACL injury sustained on international duty in 2023. In December, he underwent a minor procedure in order to prove his fitness to Ancelotti.
And it’s not as though Pedro and Neymar occupy different roles on the frontline. Both are able to lead the charge and play in the number 10. The former has a better conversion rate (21.1%) than the latter (19%) in their respective leagues this season. Pedro’s being dispossessed fewer times per 90 (1.8) than Neymar (2.1).
Conversely, Neymar offers something a little different to Pedro. The Santos star is creating more chances per 90 (2.2 to 1), and the creativity to Neymar’s game would benefit the raft of attacking stars available to Ancelotti.
Additionally, Neymar still holds a special place in the hearts of Brazilians. He is, after all, the nation’s record goalscorer. Raphinha recently stated that Neymar is “the guy to take us to our sixth World Cup title”.
“As teammates, as Brazilians and as fans, we want him at the World Cup,” PSG captain Marquinhos said. The squad were pining for Neymar. It serves to highlight the power the forward still has over the national team despite not featuring for Brazil since 2023.
Tournament experience
What’s more, Neymar’s tournament experience stands him in better stead. 2026 will mark the forward’s fourth World Cup. In a relatively inexperienced squad, they’ll look to one of their leaders to guide them to glory.
The obvious stumbling block is whether the veteran’s body can handle such a demanding tournament. He hasn’t started in excess of 20 league games in a single season since his maiden campaign for PSG back in 2017-18. Pedro has registered more league minutes this season than Neymar has since the start of 2025.
One pre-tournament injury, one misstep in training, and the dream could be over before it’s even begun, and the responsibility would fall on Ancelotti for selecting Neymar in the first place.
Even so, Neymar’s presence alone is enough to inspire this current Brazil crop. For that reason, the Santos man warrants his place at the 2026 World Cup. The Selecao will be hoping the decision doesn’t now backfire.
