Former Brazil footballer Luizao has raised concerns about Neymar's commitment to the national team, suggesting that if he truly wanted to participate in the FIFA World Cup, he would have reached out to coach Carlo Ancelotti. Ancelotti has cited Neymar's lack of fitness as the primary reason for his exclusion from the squad. As Neymar strives to regain his form ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he has expressed his desire to return to the team. Luizao, a member of Brazil's victorious 2002 World Cup team, contrasted Neymar's situation with that of Ronaldo Nazário, who fought through injuries to play in the tournament. Brazil is set to announce their squad in May and has planned friendly matches against Panama and Egypt before beginning their World Cup campaign against Morocco. Neymar also reflected on the emotional aftermath of Brazil's penalty shootout loss to Croatia in the 2022 World Cup, highlighting the psychological impact of such defeats.