Brazil coach Ancelotti readies squad for World Cup round of 16 vs Japan

Brazilian national team selector Carlo Ancelotti said there is no clear favorite ahead of the round‑of‑16 match against Japan at the 2026 World Cup. He praised Japan’s recent victories over England and Norway, calling the upcoming game a “final” in preparation, and stressed the high tension and need for focus on every play.

Ancelotti noted that star forward Neymar is recovering well and could feature for more than 15 minutes, although the player missed recent training. The match is scheduled for 29 June 2026, 20:00 Bulgarian time, with the winner set to face the victor of the Ivory Coast‑Norway tie.