'Pay attention!' - Neymar Brazil squad snub prompts Romario to send furious message to Carlo Ancelotti

Neymar omission causes stir

The decision by Brazil head coach Ancelotti to leave

'Pay attention, Mister!'

Speaking with

“Everyone knows it, but it is always necessary to repeat it: it is better to have a star player like Neymar, even when he is not at 100%, than to call up any other player. Talent must not be wasted. And a coach can never do without it. I still hold out hope of seeing Neymar prove on the pitch, in the Brazilian Championship, that he deserves to be on the final list and bring home the sixth world title.

“I want to make it clear that while I am fully in favour of Neymar going, I will continue to support the pursuit of the ‘Hexa’ even if he doesn’t. But the message is clear: Pay attention, mister!”

Ronaldo joins the chorus

The pressure on Ancelotti is mounting as Ronaldo Nazario also lent his significant weight to the argument. While more measured than Romario, 'O Fenomeno' told

Neymar's fitness race

The immediate focus for Neymar is to silence any remaining doubters before the final World Cup squad is announced in May. Despite his elite quality, consistency remains the priority; the forward has already missed five fixtures for Santos this season, though he has registered three goals and one assist in just three Brazilian Serie A appearances. For Ancelotti, the upcoming