WORLD CUP
The Brazilian has not played for the Seleção for over a year due to a series of injuries
Published on December 13, 2024 at 10:21 am
Neymar Credit: Lucas Figueiredo / CBF
From injury to not being called up, little by little the great star of the Brazilian team in previous World Cups has become a doubt in hopscotch, even though he always leaves the feeling of ‘if he were here, maybe it would be different’. Still, Neymar intends to continue playing for Canarinha at least until 2026, aiming for another World Cup with his country.
“Obviously the World Cup is every player’s goal. I’ve already played three times, obviously I want to do the fourth. I have to be focused on this, prepare well here and have this medium-term objective after returning to form here at my club”, commented the Brazilian to the French program Bartoli Time.
“Getting back in shape,” in this case, means recovering from the injuries that recently paralyzed him. After almost a year without playing due to injury, Neymar entered the field for Al-Hilal in October, against Al-Taawoun. In the second match, against Esteghlal in the Asian Champions League, he felt a problem with the back of his right thigh, which once again took him out of the ball world.
As a result, the Seleção has been without Neymar for more than a year, when in the World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay, in October 2023, he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament and the meniscus in his left knee. Since the 2022 World Cup, there have only been 20 matches on the field for the Brazilian in the Seleção, and the number 10 shirt, which was worn by him, is now being worn by Raphinha.
For Al-Hilal, Neymar is only expected to play again in 2025. The CBF, in turn, decided that the striker needs more time to return to playing at a natural pace, before appearing for the country. For this reason, he was no longer called up for the World Cup qualifiers in the brief window in which he was not injured, and should remain out for some time.
Brazil’s next matches will be in March, against Colombia on the 20th, and against rival Argentina on the 25th, both in the World Cup qualifiers. Until then, Amarelinha is fifth in the table, with 18 points, occupying the penultimate direct spot for the competition.
