- Neymar returns to the Brazil national team for the first time since October 2023 after recovering from a knee injury
- The forward has scored three goals in seven matches since rejoining Santos, earning a spot in Brazil’s squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers
- Neymar remains Brazil’s all-time top scorer with 79 goals, two ahead of Pele, but still trails Cafu’s appearance record by 14 matches
Key Takeaways:
Neymar has received a call-up to the Brazil national team nearly a year and a half after his last appearance. The forward was named in the squad for the crucial World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina later this month. Neymar is set to wear the iconic yellow shirt for the first time since October 2023, when he suffered a knee injury in a match against Uruguay, also part of the World Cup qualification cycle.
March 25: Argentina vs. Brazil
Messi vs. Neymar 🥺 pic.twitter.com/JnQal499Ws
— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 6, 2025
Following a long recovery and what can be described as a difficult stint in Saudi Arabia from a sporting perspective, Neymar returned home to his boyhood club Santos. Since his comeback, the 33-year-old has scored three goals in seven matches in the São Paulo state championship, which convinced head coach Dorival Júnior to include him in the squad.
Neymar remains Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals, two ahead of Pele, but he still trails Cafu in national team appearances, with his 128 caps leaving him 14 behind the record-holder.