As France netted their second goal at Gillette Stadium, a largely Brazilian audience began to chant the name of the sidelined Neymar, reinforcing the call for the inclusion of the Santos star in Carlo Ancelotti’s roster.
The Brazil coach refrained from commenting on the chants, emphasizing that attention should remain on the players present during the 2-1 defeat.
“We ought to focus on those who were hereβwho participated, who gave their all, who stepped up, and who worked diligently. I am pleased,” remarked the Italian, who also highlighted that “there is significant competition” for a place in Brazil’s final World Cup lineup.
Neymar’s chances of participating in the World Cup are diminishing as he struggles to regain his peak performance while with Santos. Nevertheless, former teammates like Casemiro continue to believe in his abilities.
“We recognize the quality Neymar brings. He is essential for any national team, particularly when he is in form,” stated the Manchester United midfielder after the friendly in Massachusetts. “For my generation, he is among the top three: Cristiano, Messi, and Neymar. I am a close friend of his, and it is not my role to decide who will be selected.”
Despite having Real Madrid’s VinΓcius JΓΊnior and Barcelona’s Raphinha spearheading the attack, Brazil struggled offensively against France. Ancelotti defended the duo, attributing Raphinha’s substitution at halftime to a muscle injury.
“I believe Raphinha performed very well. He experienced some muscle discomfort at the end of the first half, which necessitated his substitution, but he created numerous opportunities and displayed excellent movement off the ball. And Vini always puts in the effort; he consistently makes an impact. A striker cannot always find the net, but the contributions from both were commendable,” Ancelotti stated.
Raphinha will undergo evaluation on Friday to assess his availability for Brazil’s upcoming friendly on Tuesday against Croatia in Orlando, Florida.
The Italian coach identified positive elements in the team’s display, which improved in the second half, particularly following Luiz Henrique’s entry, yet he could not avert defeat.
“I believe today’s match clearly demonstrates that we can compete with the top teams globally. I have no doubt about that,” Ancelotti expressed.
“We faced a very strong team with considerable quality, and we competed until the very end, while the opponent was taking time to secure the win. I am confident that we will strive for the World Cup with all our might.”
Information from ESPN Brasil was utilized in this report.
