France forward Kylian Mbappé has publicly stated he cannot envision the World Cup without his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Neymar. The Brazil star, sidelined since October 2023 due to injuries, faces a race against time to recover for his fourth World Cup appearance. Mbappé, speaking ahead of France's warm-up against Brazil, emphasized Neymar's status as a 'big star' and 'one of the biggest stars' in football, stating, 'I can't imagine the World Cup without Neymar.' However, Mbappé also stressed his respect for Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti's authority, acknowledging the coach must make the final decision on the squad.

While Mbappé highlighted Neymar's importance, he also pointed to Vinícius Jürnior as the current attacking focus for Brazil, noting the Real Madrid winger needs to 'take another step forward.' Vinícius Jürnior himself has publicly backed Neymar's fitness quest, calling the pressure on his idol 'normal' and praising his efforts to return to 100% fitness. The decision ultimately rests with Ancelotti, who will announce his final squad on May 18th. Ancelotti has indicated Neymar's place remains a possibility if fully fit, while former Brazil stars have weighed in on the debate surrounding the Santos forward's inclusion.

Ancelotti acknowledged the normal flow of opinions surrounding his choices, stating football is 'not an exact science.'.