Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Neymar, Casemiro and Danilo have played their final matches for the national team following the country’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to The Athletic, Ancelotti said the tournament marked the end of an era for a generation of Brazilian stars after the Selecao were eliminated by Norway in the Round of 16.
Brazil suffered a 2-1 defeat to Norway, their earliest World Cup exit since 1990, when they were knocked out by Argentina at the same stage.
More than three weeks after the tournament ended, the Italian coach said Brazil would now begin a generational rebuild ahead of future competitions.
“I think this World Cup brought an end to a very important generation of players. Starting with Neymar, and also Danilo and Casemiro, all those players who were over 30 at the time of the World Cup,” Ancelotti told Brazilian outlet Globo.
He added that the focus would now shift to integrating younger players capable of competing immediately rather than waiting until the 2030 World Cup.
“We will look at new players who can join. I won’t specifically say for the 2030 World Cup, but they can already be competitive for our primary goal, which is the 2028 Copa América,” he said.
Casemiro, 34, and Danilo, 35, featured in every match of Brazil’s World Cup campaign, taking their international appearances to 91 and 75 respectively.
Neymar returned to the national team during the final group-stage match, making his first appearance since October 2023 after recovering from a calf injury.
Despite concerns over the forward’s fitness and lack of regular playing time, Ancelotti included the former Barcelona star in Brazil’s World Cup squad. Neymar had made only 15 appearances for Santos before the tournament.
Following Brazil’s elimination, Neymar announced that his international career had come to an end.
According to ESPN, the 34-year-old reaffirmed his decision after coming off the bench in Santos’ 4-2 victory over Universidad Central de Venezuela.
“I think my time in the national team has passed. I made history there, and I’m very happy about that,” Neymar said.
“I experienced a lot there, gave my blood and life, and always fought and struggled for the yellow jersey. But I feel like I don’t want to continue anymore.”
Ancelotti, however, indicated that not every experienced player would leave the squad, revealing that some senior figures would remain to guide the transition.
“I wouldn’t say I’m going to change all 26 players. We will keep some important players who can continue to be part of our work, like Marquinhos, for example,” he said.
“I think it’s important for players like him to stay because it shows the continuity of our work. But the overall idea is to change and start a new generation.”
