Will Neymar play tonight for Brazil vs Ecuador in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers?

Neymar has not played for the Selecao since 2023.

Tonight, Carlo Ancelotti will coach Brazil in his debut match as manager when they play Ecuador away from home at Guayaquil.

With the Selecao already inside the top six, there are no concerns about missing out on the finals. The former Real Madrid manager came to replace Dorival Junior, who was fired following the team’s 4-1 loss to Argentina in the March qualifying window.

After a rather disappointing qualification campaign thus far, Ancelotti needs to get the South American giants winning and producing appealing football immediately. So there won’t be much time for welcome parties.

Brazil would have been at risk of reaching the main tournament for the first time ever if it weren’t for the extended World Cup format. They are currently six points ahead of Venezuela in the top six.

Will Neymar play tonight?

Even though Neymar played in Santos’ past two games, injury and insufficient fitness have prevented him from receiving a call-up for the June international break. But Ancelotti has revealed that he will be counting on him going into the tournament next year.

Before he considers including the former Barcelona star in the national team roster, the Italian coach believes the forward would need to play a few more games to attain his top level of fitness.

The former Paris Saint-Germain player has not played for Brazil since 2023, when he last appeared for them against Uruguay during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. In that match, he had sustained an ACL injury and was sidelined for a year.

However, the attacker managed to return from the injury but continued to face fitness problems. A lot of things happened post that, as he also left Al-Hilal and joined his childhood club Sanots in January.

The Brazilian is still a liability due to his injuries. However, he played in Santos’ last two matches. If he stays fit, Ancelotti might pick him for Brazil’s matches in September.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.