Is Neymar’s new injury final nail in the coffin for his WC appearance?

Nothing is going the way Neymar imagined since returning to his homeland. He came to Santos to regain his former level of form and be ready for the upcoming World Cup, but with each passing week, the famous Brazilian seems to be drifting further away from Ancelotti’s list.

“Neymar is on the wider list of players we are monitoring and who could travel to the World Cup,” Ancelotti said a few days ago. “We still have six months until the final decision. We have to follow the situation closely, evaluate all aspects so that we don’t make a mistake.”

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The Italian coach said this after Neymar started three consecutive matches for Santos and scored one goal. And then—another injury. His fourth since the beginning of January. According to the latest information from Brazil, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player will not return to the pitch this year due to a meniscus problem in his left knee.

Santos faces a fight for survival in the final three rounds. Matches against Sport Recife, Juventude, and Cruzeiro are on the schedule—none of them easy—especially since the Sao Paulo club is one point behind Vitoria, the first team above the relegation zone. However, the decision has been made that Neymar will not return to training under any circumstances until his knee is fully healed.

He clearly still believes he will be Ancelotti’s choice for the World Cup. Even Santos’ battle for survival has become secondary to him.