As Ousmane Dembélé lifted the 2025 Ballon d’Or in late September, Neymar – once tipped to win the award himself – lay in bed undergoing treatment for his third injury of the year while simultaneously competing in an online poker tournament. The 33-year-old Brazil international finished as runner-up, earning around £73,800, a small consolation on a day that symbolised the gulf between the career he envisioned and the reality he now faces.
Neymar’s return to boyhood club Santos in January, after 12 years in Europe and the Middle East, was meant to be a homecoming that reignited his passion and form following frustrating spells at Paris Saint-Germain and Al Hilal. Instead, his comeback has been underwhelming, marked more by off-field distractions and recurring injuries than by decisive performances.
The disappointment has sparked a national debate: will Neymar make it to the 2026 World Cup? Time is running short.
“Even the stars must prove they are fit. The clock is ticking,” warned 1970 World Cup winner Tostão in Folha de S.Paulo.
On Wednesday, Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti named his squad for the upcoming friendlies against South Korea and Japan. Neymar was again absent, extending a two-year spell without a Selecão appearance – his last came in a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay in October 2023.
Dubbed “The Prince” on his return to Santos – a nod to Pelé, “The King” – Neymar is yet to feature under Ancelotti and may now have just two friendly matches in March 2026 to prove his fitness before the World Cup squad is announced.
“For 15 years, Neymar carried the weight of Brazil’s expectations,” said legendary captain Cafu. “But no one wins a World Cup alone. It’s hard to place all our hopes on someone who struggles to play three consecutive games.”
Since his return, Neymar has missed 47% of Santos’ matches due to injury. When fit, his performances have fallen short of the brilliance that once prompted PSG to pay a world-record €222m (£200m) to sign him in 2017.
Of his nine goal contributions, five came against lower-division opposition in the São Paulo State Championship. In Brazil’s top flight, as Santos battle relegation, Neymar has been far from decisive – ranking only 50th for successful dribbles per game, according to Sofascore.
Despite this decline, Ancelotti has publicly insisted Neymar still has time to make the squad.
“His objective must be to be ready in June,” Ancelotti told L’Équipe. “It doesn’t matter if he’s in the squad in October, November, or March.”
Yet confusion over his recent omission has clouded the picture. Ancelotti initially suggested Neymar was excluded due to fitness concerns, only for the player to counter that he was left out for “technical reasons.” The Italian later confirmed it was “a technical decision based on many factors” – a statement that further fuelled scrutiny.
“If the player we rely on to deliver a World Cup is excluded for technical reasons, something is clearly wrong,” Cafu added.
A Datafolha poll highlights how split Brazil is over Neymar’s future: 48% support calling him up for a fourth World Cup, while 41% oppose it.
Despite being Brazil’s all-time top scorer (79 goals), Neymar’s on-field demeanour has also raised concerns. He has clashed with fans on multiple occasions – including three consecutive matches in July – and broke down in tears after Santos suffered a 6-0 home defeat to Vasco da Gama, the heaviest loss of his career.
Frustration is mounting on all sides. Asked yet again about his fitness after that defeat, Neymar snapped:
“Again with this? I’ve answered this 500 times already.”
His father and agent, Neymar Sr., added fuel to the fire by revealing the original plan was for Neymar to spend just five months at Santos to recover, a comment that angered supporters.
Despite mounting criticism, comparisons are being drawn to Ronaldo Nazário’s 2002 comeback, when the striker overcame injuries and doubt to lead Brazil to World Cup glory.
“He’s crucial for Brazil – there’s no one like Neymar,” Ronaldo said at a recent event. “It’s an exaggeration to say he’s neglecting his recovery. Anyone who’s been in football knows how difficult it is to return from injury and regain rhythm. He’s on the right path.”
The coming months will be decisive. Neymar still has a chance to write a redemption story – but unless he can rediscover fitness, form, and focus, Brazil’s former prince risks watching the 2026 World Cup from the sidelines.
His legacy, once destined for greatness, now hangs in the balance.
