Author: Soorya G
Brazilian star Neymar has returned to the national team and arrived at the team hotel in time for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Neymar traveled to Pará alone, without the company of other players who had been called up. The call-up marks the star’s return to the national team after leaving his continuity in doubt following Brazil’s dismal elimination against Croatia in the quarter-finals of the Qatar World Cup. The meeting promises to be historic, as Neymar is one goal away from becoming the team’s all-time leading scorer, according to FIFA calculations.
In the 1-1 draw with Croatia, the striker matched Pelé with a brilliant goal that was deemed the match-winner, but the 2018 finalists pulled off an upset that eliminated the Seleção. Having recovered from a muscle injury, Neymar’s participation in the opening qualifier was in doubt due to a thigh problem. Al Hilal coach Jorge Jesus even disagreed with the star’s call-up and didn’t use him in the derby against Al Ittihad last Friday, despite the player having been training normally and without complaints for a week.
An avowed fan of the No. 10, Fernando Diniz played a key role in Neymar’s return at the start of the qualifiers. Before the squad was called up, there was a conversation with the star, who has also publicly declared his admiration for the coach’s style of play.
“In fact, Neymar expressed all these things, both his desire to work together and, initially, his desire to reconsider his participation in the national team. I spoke to him recently and he was very willing, extremely happy for the opportunity to build a history here with the national team. You already know what I think of him, but I’ll say it again: it’s very difficult for another player like him to emerge. A very rare talent in world soccer, and he deserves to write the most beautiful chapter of his career, which in my opinion has yet to be written.” said Diniz after the call-up was announced.
Neymar’s last official match was on February 19 against Lille in Ligue 1. On that occasion, he provided an assist and scored a goal in PSG’s 4-3 win, but left the field with an injury in the second half. This season, the star made his debut on August 3, when he scored twice in the French club’s 3-0 win over Jeonbuk Motors in South Korea in a pre-season friendly.