Brazilian forward Neymar, who is aiming to return to the national team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has been causing a stir with his recent on-field actions and comments.
The 34-year-old has not represented his country since October 2023 and is in a race against time to prove his suitability before the tournament’s squad submission deadline.
Neymar, who plays for Santos in Brazil’s top flight, has been sidelined for months and missed important playing time after an injury-plagued career.
Here’s what we know about the recent incident involving Neymar.
What happened to Neymar against Santos?
Neymar was mistakenly substituted during Santos’ match against Coritiba in Serie A after match officials gave him the wrong player number.
The striker became irate after the fourth official held up a substitution board with Neymar’s number 10 on it and was forced to leave the pitch in the 65th minute.
Robinho Jr. came on as a substitute for Neymar, but Neymar refused to leave the field, an act that ultimately led to him receiving a yellow card.
Why was Neymar furious about being substituted?
Neymar was furious at the referee’s apparent mistake and had to be dragged off the pitch. He insisted that teammate Gonzalo Escobar be substituted.
The Santos captain then gestured to the referee, snatched away the substitute slip, and showed it to the television cameras to prove that Escobar’s name was on the paper and not his own.
Santos lost 3-0 and are close to the relegation zone with 18 points from 16 games.
The club later admitted that the match referee had made the wrong substitution.
“The fourth referee made a mistake in making the substitution,” Santos said in a post on X.
“This was confirmed by television reports and notes used by officials during substitutions. It was an inexplicable error and was not corrected.”
Will Neymar play in the World Cup?
The famous number 10’s place in the World Cup squad has been the biggest topic of conversation in the local media and among his fans in recent weeks.
Neymar has spent the past few months proving his fitness for the tournament, which will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Since returning from knee surgery in February, he has scored six goals in 15 appearances for Santos.
However, despite Neymar returning to his boyhood club, he has spent time on the sidelines due to muscular injuries and minor injuries.
Brazil’s top scorer, with 79 goals, two more than all-time icon Pele, has publicly expressed his desire to return to the Selecao. The decision now rests with coach Carlo Ancelotti, who led Brazil at the World Cup and will remain in charge of the team until 2030.
What Ancelotti said about Neymar’s world cup choice?
Ancelotti has repeatedly said that Neymar needs to prove his suitability to be considered for selection in the national team.
“When you have to make a choice, you have to consider a lot of things,” Ancelotti told Reuters on Tuesday.
“Neymar is an important player for this country because of the talent he has always shown. However, he has had problems and is working hard to recover. He has improved a lot recently and is playing regularly. Obviously for me it is not such an easy decision. We have to carefully weigh the pros and cons.”
Team-mates have been lobbying for Neymar’s addition, but supporters remain divided between love and doubts about whether his body can still keep up with his imagination.
Manager Ancelotti said, “I know very well that Neymar is loved not only by the people but also by the players.”
“That’s also a factor, because we have to take into account the atmosphere surrounding Neymar’s call-up.”
What does Neymar say about playing in the World Cup?
Neymar said on Sunday that he had to endure “nonsense” criticism on his way back from a serious injury, but was satisfied that he had done his best to prove that he was fully healthy and worthy of being in the team.
After the controversial match against Santos, Neymar said: “Physically, I’m in great shape. I’m improving with each match.”
“I tried my best, but it wasn’t easy. I admit it wasn’t easy.
“It’s been a lot of hard work over the years and a lot of crap has been said about my condition and what I’m doing. It’s really sad when people talk about it.
“I worked hard quietly at home, suffering because of people’s words, and it all worked out.
“I have safely arrived where I wanted to be. I am satisfied with my performance, including everything I have done so far… Whatever happens, Ancelotti will definitely call up 26 of his best players for this battle.”
Where will Neymar fit into the Brazil World Cup squad?
Even if fully fit, Neymar will also need to fit into Ancelotti’s World Cup squad plans.
Ancelotti has said he wants four forwards who can run, press and track back, a tough template for a player who has struggled to stay consistent in games.
However, the Italian said Neymar is showing signs of progress.
“He has improved a lot in his fitness in recent games,” Ancelotti said.
“He has played some very good games recently. His fitness is improving. He can maintain high intensity during games. But there are games to games.”
Ancelotti said Neymar’s selection was his sole decision.
“I have never been pressured by anyone to call up Neymar. I have complete autonomy,” he said. “The decision will be 100% professional. I will only consider how he performs as a football player and nothing else.”
“Can you put together a perfect team? It’s impossible! But I can put together a team that makes fewer mistakes than anyone else. I’m sure of it.”
When will the Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup be announced?
Ancelotti is expected to announce his reserve squad on Monday. He can list up to 55 players, but the final squad will be narrowed down to 26 to be confirmed by June 1.
