A comeback that stirred a nation

Neymar has been recalled to Brazil’s World Cup squad, ending a long absence from the national team and giving Carlo Ancelotti’s side a powerful dose of star quality at a moment when belief around the Seleção has looked fragile.

The 34-year-old forward had not played for Brazil since 2023, with injuries and uneven form keeping him out of the picture under successive coaches. His return does not mean a return to the old order. Neymar is not expected to be captain, nor is he guaranteed a place in the starting line-up. Even so, his inclusion has landed with unusual force in Brazil.

According to DR Sporten’s report, Peter Arnholdt, who runs Brasserbloggen and follows the Brazilian national team from Belo Horizonte, described the reaction as overwhelming.

“These are euphoric scenes. People are overjoyed, and the selection has brought enormous joy to the Brazilian people,” Arnholdt said.

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Across Brazil, the call-up was met with yellow shirts in the streets, car horns, singing and fireworks, scenes that underlined how deeply Neymar remains tied to the country’s footballing imagination.

A star with a different role

For much of the 2010s, Neymar was Brazil’s captain, the first name on the team sheet and the player expected to carry the country’s hopes. This time, his role is likely to be more limited and more carefully managed.

Ancelotti’s decision appears to be about more than sentiment. Brazil have younger attacking players capable of leading the team, but few footballers can still alter the mood of a match quite like Neymar.

“He is the biggest star Brazil has had in 20 years, and he means so much to the Brazilian people that it would almost have been inhumane not to select him,” Arnholdt said.

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The selection also gives Ancelotti something beyond tactics. Neymar brings attention, belief and a sense of possibility to a squad still trying to restore its aura on the world stage.

“Neymar is a magical footballer who can add a little stardust to a football team in difficult situations. If you want to win the World Cup, you need that type,” Arnholdt said.

Ancelotti’s calculated gamble

Neymar’s comeback is not without risk. His fitness has been a recurring concern, and his status in the team has changed. He is no longer the automatic focal point of Brazil’s attack.

But Ancelotti has rarely built teams on structure alone. This call-up looks like a calculated bet on personality, experience and a player who still believes he can decide the biggest matches.

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“He has enormous belief in his own abilities, which will rub off on a Brazilian national team that has been badly hit in terms of confidence,” Arnholdt said. “In addition, it helps with public support, which is hugely important. That is why it is a smart move by Ancelotti.”

Brazil opened Group C against Morocco on June 13 local time in New Jersey, before fixtures against Haiti and Scotland. Neymar’s involvement is likely to depend as much on his fitness as on Ancelotti’s tactical plans.

One last chance to complete the story

For Neymar, this World Cup carries the weight of unfinished business. He has been Brazil’s defining modern star, but not yet the player who brought home the trophy the country craves most. Brazil have not won the World Cup since 2002, and every generation since has carried the burden of that drought.

This tournament may be his final chance to change how he is remembered at home.

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“It is a little like the story of the prodigal son, who now gets one more chance to live up to his potential and win the World Cup trophy with Brazil,” Arnholdt said.

A World Cup winner’s medal would not erase the injuries, the doubts or the years of frustration. But it would change the ending. For Neymar, and perhaps for Brazil, that is why this comeback matters so much.

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