Kylian Mbappe says he ‘doesn’t see a World Cup without Neymar’ amid Vinicius Brazil role debate

While also addressing Vinicius Junior's role in Brazil, Kylian Mbappe candidly stated that he "doesn't see a World Cup without Neymar."

Kylian Mbappe has added his voice to the growing chorus of support for Neymar following the Brazilian’s omission from the March international roster, with the 2026 World Cup now just months away. While weighing in on the debate over Vinicius Junior’s role with Brazil, the French star delivered a candid message, saying he “doesn’t see a World Cup without Neymar.”

Brazil is set to face France on Thursday, March 27, in a match that will serve as one of the last auditions for several players looking to secure a spot in the Canarinha squad for the World Cup. When Carlo Ancelotti announced his roster, Neymar’s omission became one of the most debated topics surrounding the squad, with the Italian manager continuing to field questions about the decision given that the Santos forward still holds captain status with the national team.

In an interview with Globo Esporte, Mbappe was asked whether Brazil is now Vinicius‘ team or whether that distinction still belongs to Neymar, and the Frenchman gave an candid answer: “I think it can belong to both. The truth is that Vini needs to take another step forward with the national team now, but Neymar is Neymar.“

Having played alongside both Brazilian stars, first with Neymar at PSG and now with Vinicius Junior at Real Madrid, Mbappe made clear he is firmly in the Santos forward’s corner when it comes to the World Cup. “Neymar is a great player; the World Cup is the competition of the stars, all the stars are here, and in my book, Neymar is one of the biggest stars,” he stated.

“I don’t see a World Cup without Neymar, but in the end, I can’t go against my former coach, Ancelotti. Ultimately, you have to respect his decision, but for me, Neymar is a player who makes a huge difference,” Mbappe said. Ancelotti has consistently cited fitness as the primary reason for Neymar’s exclusion, not only for March but across recent call-up cycles, yet the Real Madrid star clearly believes the Brazilian still has a major role to play.

“I’ve played with him; I’ve learned a lot from him. We’ll see how he is doing too, but I know Neymar, he’s going to prepare for the World Cup and he’s going to be there. I know him,” Mbappe added, offering a confident endorsement of Neymar’s chances of making Brazil’s final roster.

Neymar reportedly starts workload plan for World Cup

FIFA has confirmed that national teams have until May 30 to submit their final World Cup rosters, with Carlo Ancelotti reportedly planning to announce his list on May 18. With that deadline set, Neymar is said to be working urgently toward full fitness in order to be part of the final 26-man squad.

According to Globo Esporte‘s Murilo Tauro, Neymar and his team have put together a plan to protect the meniscus he underwent surgery on in December, built around personalized training sessions, a strict cap on match appearances and the avoidance of long-distance travel.

A key element of the plan is that, out of the 14 Santos matches scheduled before May 18, Neymar intends to feature in roughly half of them to manage his workload while maintaining enough match sharpness to make his case. Perhaps most strikingly, the report states that if Neymar is left off the final roster, he would stop playing for Santos for the remainder of the club season, a development that would send shockwaves through the soccer world.