Ancelotti explains Neymar’s absence: “I was waiting for extra time” as Brazil edge Japan in World Cup thriller

In a pulsating Round of 32 clash at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Brazil secured a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over Japan to advance to the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But the biggest talking point after the match was not the late winner—it was the conspicuous absence of Neymar from the pitch.

The 34-year-old Santos forward, who had made his long-awaited return to international football as a late substitute in Brazil’s final group game against Scotland, remained glued to the bench throughout the entire knockout encounter. After the match, Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti revealed the tactical reasoning behind his decision.

“I was waiting for extra time”

Ancelotti disclosed that he had devised a specific plan for Neymar’s introduction, one that ultimately became redundant due to the flow of the game.

“I was waiting for extra time,” Ancelotti explained to the press. “I talked it over with him: If we didn’t score the equaliser, he was coming in around the 60th or 65th minute.”

However, Brazil’s equaliser changed everything. Casemiro’s powerful header restored parity, and with the team back on level terms, Ancelotti made a calculated decision to preserve the team’s structure.

“But we equalised and I didn’t want to change the structure because we had control of the match,” the Italian tactician said.

A game of two halves

Brazil entered the contest as favourites after topping Group C, while Japan arrived unbeaten in their last 10 matches—a run that included a victory over the Selecao in Tokyo. The Japanese, who finished second in Group F after a convincing 4-0 win over Tunisia, stunned the five-time world champions when Kaishu Sano fired them into the lead with a rapid counter-attack.

Brazil struggled in the first half, with Vinícius Júnior and Matheus Cunha finding it difficult to break down Japan’s solid defensive organisation. Ancelotti turned to his bench at half-time, introducing Endrick in an attempt to spark a revival. Meanwhile, Neymar warmed up along the touchline, raising hopes among Brazilian fans that the iconic number 10 would be called upon.

The breakthrough finally came when Casemiro headed home to level the scores. Buoyed by the equaliser, Brazil piled on the pressure. Vinícius struck the post after a brilliant individual run, with goalkeeper Zion Suzuki producing a fine save. Then, deep into stoppage time—six minutes into added-on time—Gabriel Martinelli capitalised on a rebound off the woodwork to fire home the winner, sending Brazil into the quarter-finals.

Neymar’s fitness and the bigger picture

Ancelotti had been cautious throughout the build-up about Neymar’s physical condition. The forward had been nursing a right calf injury that troubled him throughout pre-tournament preparation, and his 15-minute cameo against Scotland marked his first international appearance since October 2023 following a series of injury setbacks.

Before the match, Ancelotti had indicated that Neymar was in “good shape” and could play more than 15 minutes, but stressed that his involvement would “depend a lot on the game context and how things develop”. Ultimately, the context of a comeback victory meant the coach saw no need to disrupt a winning formula.

“We played well, we deserved to win,” Ancelotti said. “We conceded a goal but the team didn’t lose patience. We have a lot of resources, on the bench and on the pitch. The players are individually at a good level and they work together”.

Injury concerns and what lies ahead

Ancelotti also revealed that Casemiro and Lucas Paquetá both suffered physical issues during the demanding encounter.

“Tomorrow we will see how Paquetá and Casemiro are,” he said. “It was a very demanding match. Japan are not an easy team—they are very organised, very intense. I think we deserved to win and that is very important”.

Brazil now await the winner of the clash between Ivory Coast and Norway in the quarter-finals. For Neymar, the wait for more World Cup minutes continues—but for now, Brazil are through, and Ancelotti’s tactical gamble has paid off.