Neymar is back! The Brazilian superstar has earned a dramatic recall from the World Cup after almost three years

Brazil’s Neymar (AP/PTI) Brazil have brought Neymar back into their World Cup plans, with the veteran striker earning a dramatic recall to the national team almost three years after his last appearance for the Seleção. Coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the 34-year-old’s inclusion when he announced Brazil’s 26-man squad at a gala dinner in Rio de Janeiro on Monday. The announcement drew loud cheers from the crowd as Neymar’s name was read out, underscoring the excitement surrounding his return. Neymar, Brazil’s all-time top scorer with 79 goals in 128 international matches, has not played for the national team since suffering a serious knee injury during a 2023 World Cup qualifier against Uruguay. Questions have lingered for months over whether the former FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain FC star would return to the international squad. Injury setbacks and inconsistent form have kept him out of contention, and Ancelotti himself previously left Neymar out of Brazil’s March friendlies against France and Croatia amid concerns about his fitness. However, Neymar’s move back to boyhood club Santos FC earlier this year seems to have helped him regain the trust of Brazil’s coaching staff. “We’ve been watching Neymar all year and we’ve seen that recently he’s been playing consistently and his physical condition has improved,” Ancelotti said. “We believe he is an important player. Despite the appeal, Neymar’s injury struggles have continued since rejoining Santos. Since returning to the Brazilian side in 2026, he has managed just 15 appearances in 31 matches. The experienced striker is now preparing for his fourth World Cup campaign after previously representing Brazil at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 tournaments. Chasing a record sixth World Cup title, Brazil open their campaign in the United States, Canada and Mexico against Morocco on June 13 before taking on Haiti and Scotland in Group C. Neymar’s return also bolsters Brazil’s already dangerous attack with Raphinha and Vinícius Júnior. Ancelotti, meanwhile, stressed that mental toughness rather than perfection will decide the tournament. “The World Cup will not be won by the perfect team – because there is no such thing as a perfect team,” he said. “The most resilient team will win.”