Neymar remains at the center of discussion even after his exit from the pitch. Debate in Brazil over how the forward was used at the 2026 World Cup shows no signs of settling down. Now, Rogério Micale, the coach who led the Seleção to Olympic gold in Rio, has added fuel to the fire. According to him, Neymar did not receive the respect and special treatment he deserved from coach Carlo Ancelotti — unlike the treatment given to Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo during their careers.
It’s been a while since Brazil’s World Cup exit, a loss to Norway, and since Neymar bid farewell to international football in tears. Yet the dominant topic of conversation in Brazil remains: why was Neymar kept on the bench?
Micale, who led Brazil to their first-ever Olympic gold, has criticized current Seleção head coach Carlo Ancelotti. In an interview with ESPN, Micale said he does not understand why Neymar was sidelined throughout the tournament, arguing that even if Neymar wasn’t fully fit, his mere presence could have provided the team with a different dimension.
The Olympic-winning coach said, “In my eyes, Neymar is Brazil’s best player. Ancelotti should have placed more trust in him, given his influence both on and off the pitch.”
Micale didn’t stop at defending Neymar — he also brought up Messi, Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah as examples. According to him, getting the best out of world-class superstars requires building a special environment around them, something he believes Ancelotti failed to do.
Drawing on his own coaching experience in Egypt, Micale explained how the entire team and system had been structured around Salah, arguing that Brazil should have extended Neymar that same level of priority. Even at less than 100 percent fitness, he said, Neymar’s footballing brain alone could have changed the outcome of a match.
Micale’s criticism isn’t based on sentiment alone — the tournament statistics support his argument. Neymar’s playing time at this World Cup was minimal; he played just 14 minutes against Scotland and only 23 minutes against Norway.
Brazil were eliminated in the round of 16, losing 2-1 to Erling Haaland’s Norway. Neymar scored a late penalty to narrow the deficit, but it came too late to change the result. Brazilian fans are left with one lingering regret: had Neymar started the match, the outcome might have been different.
Despite Neymar’s retirement announcement from international football, Micale still holds out hope — offering a message that has given Brazilian fans a renewed sense of optimism. Micale said he hopes to see Neymar back in the Brazil jersey at the 2030 World Cup.
“I’d be willing to pay out of my own pocket for tickets just to watch Neymar play again,” he said. “If he’s physically fit, there should be no question about his place on the team.”
The reality, however, is far more sobering than Micale’s sentiment suggests. Neymar bid farewell to international football in tears following Brazil’s defeat to Norway at MetLife Stadium — the very same stadium where, coincidentally, he made his international debut for Brazil back in 2010. Where it began, it ended.
