In Rio de Janeiro on March 17, Neymar was excluded from Brazil's lineup for upcoming friendlies against France and Croatia, providing Carlo Ancelotti one last opportunity to assess his players prior to solidifying the roster for the FIFA World Cup this year.

Neymar returned from his recent injury on Sunday, participating for a full 90 minutes and assisting in Santos' 1-1 draw against Corinthians during Brazil's Serie A.

Although Neymar is not part of the 27-player selection, Ancelotti hasn't dismissed the possibility of the 34-year-old competing in the World Cup hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, as reported by Xinhua.

"The reason he wasn't selected this time is that he isn't at 100 percent, and we require players who are fully fit," stated the Italian coach. "If Neymar can return to full fitness, he still has a chance for the World Cup."

Brazil will face France in Boston on March 26 and Croatia in Orlando five days later. The South American squad kicks off its World Cup journey against Morocco on June 13, followed by matches against Haiti on June 19 and Scotland on June 24 in Group C.

Ancelotti emphasized that Neymar's exclusion was not based on his technical skills, indicating that the decision was made collectively with his coaching team.

"This is a matter of physical assessment rather than technical ability," explained the former Real Madrid manager. "He excels with the ball, but he needs to enhance his physical condition. Our coaching staff believes he is not performing at his full potential, and that's my perspective as well as that of the entire staff who observe his performances closely."

Brazil's lineup features four new additions: Leo Pereira from Flamengo, Gabriel Sara from Galatasaray, Igor Thiago from Brentford, and Rayan from Bournemouth.

Additionally, young striker Endrick has been recalled following his strong displays with Lyon, where he is currently on loan from Real Madrid.

Brazil's roster includes:

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Bento (Al-Nassr), Ederson (Fenerbahce)

Defenders: Wesley (AS Roma), Alex Sandro (Flamengo), Douglas Santos (Zenit St Petersburg), Marquinhos (Paris St Germain), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Bremer (Juventus), Danilo (Flamengo), Ibanez (Al-Ahli), Leo Pereira (Flamengo)

Midfielders: Andrey Santos (Chelsea), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al-Ittihad), Gabriel Sara (Galatasaray)

Forwards: Endrick (Olympique Lyonnais), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Luiz Henrique (Zenit St Petersburg), Rayan (Bournemouth), Joao Pedro (Chelsea), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Raphinha (Barcelona), Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid).