Ancelotti explained why Neymar did not enter in Brazil's agonizing victory against Japan

Brazil achieved a heroic comeback with a 2-1 victory over Japan and advanced to the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup Carlo Ancelotti, the Italian coach in charge of the Canarinha, analyzed the match with satisfaction and explained the reasons behind several key decisions.

At the NRG Stadium in Houston, the Brazilian National Team started off losing but showed character to turn the score around. Kaishu Sano's initial goal put the Scratch in trouble, but in the second half, Casemiro equalized and Gabriel Martinelli sealed the victory in the last minute.

Ancelotti expressed happiness about the qualification and highlighted the collective performance. “We played well, we deserved to win. We conceded a goal but the team didn’t lose patience. We have many resources, on the bench and on the field,” the coach told the press.

The coach valued that the players are at a good individual level and that they work together as a block. Japan, according to his words, is not an easy opponent: it is a very organized and intense team that pushed Brazil to the limit.

The decision about Neymar

One of the points that drew the most attention was Neymar's absence on the field. The star had returned to play in the rout against Scotland, but against Japan he remained on the bench. Ancelotti revealed that he had a clear plan for him.

“I was waiting for extra time. I spoke with him and told him that if we didn’t equalize, he would come in at 60 or 65 minutes, but we equalized and I didn’t want to change the structure because the team had control of the match,” explained the Italian.

This decision surprised fans, but the coach prioritized maintaining the team's balance once Brazil reached the equalizer. The Verdeamarela dominated the match after the equalizer and avoided unnecessary risks.

Additionally, Ancelotti addressed the physical discomforts of Casemiro and Lucas Paquetá, who left the field with issues. “Tomorrow we will see how Paquetá and Casemiro are. It was a very demanding match,” he commented.

Now Brazil awaits its opponent in the Round of 16, which will come from the clash between Ivory Coast and Norway. The agonizing qualification boosts the team's morale heading into the next stage.