Less than a month before the start of the 2026 World Cup, Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti identified six teams as the main contenders for the title, with Argentina, Spain and Brazil itself at the head of that group.

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The Italian coach offered his statements this Monday during an interview on the Jornal Nacional news program, broadcast by the Globo network, on the same day in which he announced the final call for 26 footballers to represent the Canarinha in the event that will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Ancelotti also added France, Portugal and England among the teams with the best chance of winning the tournament.

“There are many teams, but none are perfect,” declared the former coach of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, referring to the competitive panorama he anticipates for the competition.

Neymar returns to the World Cup squad

One of the most striking announcements of the Brazilian list was the inclusion of Neymar, who had not worn his national team's shirt since October 2023, when he suffered a serious knee injury.

The forward, currently at Santos, is part of the roster of attackers along with names like Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha, Gabriel Martinelli, Endrick and Matheus Cunha, among others.

Asked about the role of the 34-year-old attacker, Ancelotti avoided guaranteeing him a place from the beginning. "If he deserves to be a starter, he will be a starter. He will have the same role as the other 25; if he deserves it, he will play," he said.

The coach explained that he closed the final call just at noon on Monday and pointed out that the priority will be to consolidate a solid group, without depending on a single figure. According to him, the team's aspiration is to mix the individual talent of Brazilian footballers with tactical discipline, concentration and collective sense.

“The selection is going very well, we are very encouraged,” he said.

Brazil will play all of its group stage matches on US soil. His debut will be on June 13 against Morocco in New Jersey. They will then play against Haiti on June 19 in Philadelphia and will close that stage on June 24 against Scotland in Miami.

Ancelotti also highlighted the importance of finishing first in the group, considering that this would allow Brazil to go through a less demanding knockout phase on the way to its goal of breaking a 24-year drought without winning a World Cup.