&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "FIFA World Cup 2026: Carlo Ancelotti reveals why Neymar missed Japan clash")
Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti revealed that he had planned to bring Neymar on in the second half against Japan but changed his mind after the match was tied, saving him in case the game went into extra time during their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 clash. Speaking after Brazil’s dramatic 2-1 win, Ancelotti explained that Neymar was originally expected to enter around the 60th minute. However, once the scores were level, he decided to keep the forward fresh for a possible extra 30 minutes.
"I talked to Ney (Neymar), if we don't draw, he'd come on at 60 minutes. Since we drew, I was preserving him for the 30 minutes of extra time," Ancelotti told the host broadcasters.
Although Neymar was fit and named on the bench, he did not feature in Brazil’s 2-1 victory over Japan on Tuesday (IST).
Brazil booked their place in the Round of 16 thanks to Gabriel Martinelli, who scored a dramatic winner in the 95th minute after the team staged a strong second-half comeback.
Japan had taken a surprise lead in the first half when Kaishu Sano intercepted a loose ball deep inside his own half. Sano embarked on a brilliant 40-yard solo sprint before drilling a fierce strike past Alisson to make it 1-0.
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After the match, Ancelotti said he chose not to celebrate wildly because he respected Japan’s effort and understood how difficult such a defeat could be.
"People asked me why I didn't celebrate, but football is also about respect. Yes, we were happy to win, but I looked across and saw a Japanese team that had given absolutely everything. They fought with incredible courage, and I know exactly how painful a defeat like that can be," he said.
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FIFA World Cup 2026 Live on Zee5 Photograph: (WION)
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The experienced Italian coach added that while he was pleased Brazil had qualified for the next round, his years in football had taught him the importance of showing respect to opponents.
"Of course, I celebrated inside because my responsibility is to Brazil and qualifying was our objective. But I've been in football for many years, and I've experienced both victory and heartbreak. Sometimes the best way to respect your opponent is to remain humble in your biggest moments," he told host broadcasters.
With inputs from agencies
