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Carlo Ancelotti is set to name his Brazil squad for the March friendlies against France and Croatia, and all eyes are on whether a long international exile will end.
Neymar last played for Brazil against Uruguay in October 2023 before a prolonged period of injury woes.
Now 34 and back with boyhood club Santos, the 2026 World Cup surely represents Neymar's final chance to compete for international football's biggest prize.
He played 90 minutes in Santos' 1-1 weekend draw with Corinthians and there is mounting speculation that he will return, especially with Real Madrid star Rodrygo set for a long-term absence with an ACL injury.
Prior to naming the squad, Ancelotti offered backing to Vinicius Junior regarding his capacity to deliver on the big stage. Across 45 caps for Brazil, the Real Madrid forward has only scored eight times.
"Vinicius has never failed in important matches," he told Radio Marca. "I can't recall a single semifinal or quarterfinal where Vini has failed to deliver."
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Brazil squad for March 2026
Ancelotti is expected to confirm his roster for March 2026 this week, most likely on Monday.
The squad below was named for the November 2025 international break and will be updated once Ancelotti's list for this month is finalised.
Caps correct as of March 16, 2026
| Pos | Name | Club | Caps |
| Goalkeeper | Bento | Al Nassr (KSA) | 4 |
| Goalkeeper | Ederson | Fenerbahce (TUR) | 29 |
| Goalkeeper | Hugo Souza | Corinthians (BRA) | 0 |
| Defender | Caio Henrique | Monaco (FRA) | 2 |
| Defender | Carlos Augusto | Inter Milan (ITA) | 2 |
| Defender | Douglas Santos | Zenit (RUS) | 2 |
| Defender | Eder Militao | Real Madrid (SPA) | 35 |
| Defender | Fabricio Bruno | Cruzeiro (BRA) | 3 |
| Defender | Gabriel Magalhaes | Arsenal (ENG) | 15 |
| Defender | Beraldo | PSG (FRA) | 4 |
| Defender | Vanderson | Monaco (FRA) | 7 |
| Defender | Wesley | Shenzhen Peng City (CHI) | 1 |
| Midfielder | Andre | Wolves (ENG) | 12 |
| Midfielder | Bruno Guimaraes | Newcastle United (ENG) | 37 |
| Midfielder | Casemiro | Manchester United (ENG) | 78 |
| Midfielder | Joao Gomes | Wolves (ENG) | 10 |
| Midfielder | Joelinton | Newcastle United (ENG) | 7 |
| Midfielder | Lucas Paqueta | West Ham (ENG) | 57 |
| Forward | Estevao | Chelsea (ENG) | 7 |
| Forward | Gabriel Martinelli | Arsenal (ENG) | 19 |
| Forward | Igor Jesus | Nottingham Forest (ENG) | 4 |
| Forward | Luiz Henrique | Zenit (RUS) | 8 |
| Forward | Matheus Cunha | Manchester United (ENG) | 15 |
| Forward | Richarlison | Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) | 52 |
| Forward | Rodrygo | Real Madrid (SPA) | 33 |
| Forward | Vinicius Junior | Real Madrid (SPA) | 41 |
Is Neymar in the Brazil squad?
All indications are that Neymar will end his long international exile, having been named on the "pre-list" for this international break.
It certainly acts in his favour that he was able to complete the full 90 minutes in Santos' match against Corinthians on March 15.
On Tuesday, March 10, Ancelotti and members of his coaching staff had gone to watch Santos' game against Mirassol, only for Neymar to sit out with muscular soreness and fatigue.
Whether or not he is capable of playing within the intensity of tournament football at this stage of his career is likely to weigh on Ancelotti's mind.
Brazil schedule for March international break
Brazil will play two games in this break, both friendlies.
They face France on March 26 at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, then they take on Croatia at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
Their next scheduled match is against Egypt on June 6, which looks like being their last warm-up game before their World Cup campaign begins against Morocco on June 13.
MORE: Full schedule for World Cup Group C featuring Brazil, Morocco, Scotland and Haiti
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