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Brazil lost to France 2-1 at Gillette Stadium in one of two friendly matches leading up to the FIFA World Cup. However, Neymar's absence from the roster continues to draw attention, and a new voice has joined the controversy: José Mourinho.
The Portuguese coach has openly questioned Carlo Ancelotti's decision not to include him on the roster for these two matches and compared him to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Mou sends a message to Carletto and defends Neymar
After the Verdeamarela fell to Didier Deschamps's side on goals by Kylian Mbappé and Hugo Ekitike, Mourinho did not hesitate to criticize this decision, comparing the magnitude of his absence to that of the captain of the Portuguese or the Albiceleste:
"Imagine if Portugal didn't call up Cristiano Ronaldo, or if Argentina didn't call up Lionel Messi. You can't take Neymar off the national team unless there's a mutual agreement. It's a huge lack of respect toward Neymar Jr. He really made a mistake," Mourinho said, according to Diario Do Peixe.
The Brazil coach decided to leave Neymar out of the friendlies against France and Croatia (to be played on March 31 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando) since he is not "100%" physically fit following a muscle strain. However, he has not ruled out including the Santos icon on his final World Cup roster.
This further extended his absence from the national team, as he hasn't played for the Canarinha since the South American qualifier against Uruguay on October 17, 2023, when he suffered a knee injury.
However, Mou's comments come after other figures questioned this decision, such as Romario, Ronaldo Nazario, and Cafú. Both Rodrygo Goes and Vini Jr. have backed Neymar's inclusion on the team, especially with an eye toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Additionally, during the match, hundreds of fans also voiced their support for the "No. 10," chanting "Olé, olé, olé, olá, Neymar, Neymar!" in a show of support for the Brazilian star.
Meanwhile, the final roster for the World Cup will be announced on May 19, so Ney has just over ten games left to prove to Carletto that he is not only in top physical condition but can also make a difference on the team.