Brazil's undisputed star? Neymar's World Cup race against time

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As Ousmane Dembele received the Ballon d'Or award for 2025 in late September, Neymar found himself in bed, undergoing therapy for his third injury this year, all while participating in an online poker event.

The 33-year-old Brazilian star ended up as the second-place winner, pocketing approximately £73,800 in winnings.

This provided a small solace on a day when he had to witness the player who took his place at Barcelona earn the accolade he had long desired.

Since rejoining his childhood club Santos in January, the 33-year-old forward has not met expectations, becoming more notable for incidents like this than for his actual performance on the pitch.

His homecoming after a dozen years away was supposed to be an opportunity for him to regain his playing form and, importantly, to rekindle a love for the sport that seemed to fade after challenging times at Paris St-Germain and Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia.

However, this scenario has proven disappointing for everyone involved.

Given the current circumstances, the pressing concern in Brazil is whether Neymar will be fit for the 2026 World Cup.

Time is not on his side.

"Even stars must demonstrate their fitness. Time is running out for him," wrote Tostao, a 1970 World Cup champion, in his column for Folha de S Paulo.

On Wednesday, Brazil's head coach Carlo Ancelotti revealed his lineup for the forthcoming matches against South Korea and Japan, and once more, Neymar did not make the cut.

Known as "The Prince" upon his return to Santos, in homage to the legendary Pele, he has yet to take the field under Ancelotti, having been absent from the national team for two years. His last appearance was during the 2-0 loss to Uruguay in October 2023.

Furthermore, he remains a potential injury concern for the matches in November, which, in the worst-case scenario, would leave him with just two friendly games in March 2026 to prove his worth to Ancelotti ahead of the final World Cup roster announcement.

"For 15 years, Neymar was Brazil's undeniable star, shouldering immense expectations and responsibility alone," stated former AC Milan and Roma icon Cafu.

"However, no one wins the World Cup solo. It's challenging to place all our hopes on him right now because he struggles to even participate in three consecutive matches."

'If Neymar is omitted for tactical reasons, something is amiss'

Neymar has encountered numerous fitness issues since his return to Brazil - he's missed 47% of Santos' matches this season - and even when fit, he has shown little resemblance to the player who once challenged Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, prompting PSG to pay a record €222m (£200m) fee to Barcelona back in 2017.

Out of his nine goal contributions to date, five have been against teams from leagues below Brazil's premier division - consisting of a goal and an assist against Agua Santa, along with a goal and two assists against Inter de Limeira, all during the Sao Paulo State Championship.

As Santos battles relegation in the Brazilian top tier, the number 10 appears to have lost his previous impact - as per Sofascore, he ranks just 50th for successful dribbles per game.

Nonetheless, Ancelotti has asserted that the forward has ample opportunity to prove his readiness for the World Cup.

"His aim should be to be prepared by June. It’s irrelevant if he is included in the squad in October, November, or March," the Italian stated to L'Equipe.

Last month, Ancelotti sparked local controversy by allegedly trying to shield Neymar, asserting that the star was left out of the lineup due to fitness issues.

However, Neymar himself countered this claim, stating he "was excluded for technical reasons; it has nothing to do with my physical state." Ancelotti later acknowledged it was "a technical choice based on various factors."

In light of public opinion, it certainly did not improve Neymar's standing.

"If the player on whom we have pinned all our hopes for the World Cup is omitted for technical reasons, it is clear that something is amiss," stated Cafu.

Can Neymar replicate Ronaldo's achievements in 2002?

Research by Datafolha, a prominent polling organization, indicated that Brazilian citizens are split on whether Neymar should be selected for his fourth World Cup. While 48% are in favor, 41% oppose it.

With 79 goals, Neymar holds the record as Brazil's leading scorer, but his conduct on the field has not bolstered his case either.

He appears to be more irritable than usual, having clashed with fans multiple times during matches - this occurred in three successive games in July.

In the following month, the striker was visibly upset after Santos faced a 6-0 defeat at home against Vasco da Gama - marking the largest loss of his career.

When a reporter inquired about his fitness during a post-match interview, he also showed frustration: "Are we doing this again, mate? I've answered this 500 times already."

Similar inquiries have also been directed towards his father and agent, Neymar Sr. "Neymar's plan was to spend five months at Santos. For what? To heal. If Neymar was able to play, great," he previously stated, which incited anger from fans.

There remains a glimmer of hope that Neymar's pinnacle years are not behind him and that he can rejuvenate his career, similar to how striker Ronaldo "Phenomenon" did in 2002, overcoming both skepticism and injuries to guide Brazil to a World Cup victory.

Ronaldo, the former legend of Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Inter Milan, draws parallels between their situations.

"Neymar is an essential asset for Brazil - there's truly no one comparable to him," Ronaldo remarked at a recent event in Sao Paulo with the forward.

"It's an overstatement by a few who think he is ignoring his recovery process. Anyone familiar with football understands the difficulties of returning from an injury and regaining both rhythm and self-assurance. He is heading in the right direction."

The Santos star faces critical months ahead to demonstrate that he is not the heir who has forsaken his crown.