SAO PAULO: New Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti considers Neymar 鈥渁 very important player鈥� and has urged the injury-prone star 鈥渢o prepare well鈥� for the 2026 World Cup.

鈥淗e must prepare well and he has the time to do that,鈥� the Italian said in an interview with the South American football federation on Thursday.

鈥淗e鈥檚 a very important player for us regarding the World Cup,鈥� Ancelotti added.

Neymar, 33, extended his contract with Brazilian side Santos to the end of the year this week.

Neymar鈥檚 career has been dogged by injury, and he has only played 12 matches in five months for Santos, scoring three goals.

Brazil鈥檚 top scorer with 79 goals was missing from Ancelotti鈥檚 first squad at the end of May.

With Neymar absent five-time world champions Brazil qualified for next year鈥檚 World Cup with a 1-0 win over Paraguay this month.