I think they'll take Neymar no matter what. Believe me (
), they'll take him if he can play five minutes. Unless he has some kind very serious physicallyof impediment that really prevents him from going, he wouldn't go. He was a high-level player, so, The World Cup only lasts a month, and it's the ideal time for someone like him who is in
retirement. It will be a World Cup of old idols, with Neymar, CR7, Messi, among others.
At this point I feel like these players are doing it more for themselves rather than for the team. Cristiano Ronaldo during the last World Cup was a disaster, it was clear he couldn't play against big teams and yet he was there, every single match, trying to score no matter what. Neymar pretty much stopped being a football player years ago, he's constantly injured. Messi plays without even running. I loved all these players but there is a time when they should say it's enough, and the worst thing is that the managers don't have the balls to drop them from the team, they are almost hostage of these big names.
I agree with you, sometimes the presence of star players whose performances have started to decline due to age or injuries puts managers in a difficult position. Fans will criticize if the manager puts Ronaldo, Messi or Neymar on the bench. When they are called up to strengthen their respective national teams, it means the manager must guarantee playing time for them.
On the other hand, they are no longer the same players they were a decade ago, no longer as consistently reliable to score in every match, even though their mentality and leadership no need to question it anymore. I imagine that if Scaloni chose not to call up Messi, Martinez chose not to call up Ronaldo, or Ancelotti left out Neymar, they would face even greater criticism and pressure from many sides.