Lionel Messi stated this winter that Neymar was the obvious choice to get a World Cup ticket, regardless of what match form he was. Carlo Ancelotti probably doesn’t entirely agree with this, but also knows how important Neymar’s short, magical moments on the pitch can be for Brazil’s chances of finally bringing the World Cup trophy back home. Neymar got a ticket, but also three demands that came with the opportunity.
For months, there was discussion about whether national team coach Carlo Ancelotti should choose Neymar, who currently plays for Santos and has struggled with injuries. In the end, Ancelotti chose Neymar as one of the 26 Brazilian players who will try to win the country’s sixth World Cup title, but Ancelotti reportedly had some demands on Neymar before the decision was made.
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Ancelotti made demands on Neymar before the World Cup
Davide Ancelotti, who was his father’s assistant coach at Brazil before the World Cup, has given sports journalist Guillem Balagué the story.
“The first thing was that he (Neymar) didn’t want to be one of the team’s captains. The second was that he would be a reserve and probably not start in any games. The third was that he should limit his time on social media, says Guillem Balagué in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live.
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Not captain. Limited playing time. Limit time on social media. Then we are eagerly waiting to see if Neymar will be ready after the calf injury he suffered before the World Cup – and if he miraculously manages to stay away from his social media accounts.
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