Neymar is poised to make his long-awaited return to Brazil’s national team after nearly 700 days away, ending an injury-plagued absence that began with a devastating knee injury in a World Cup qualifier. Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the superstar forward will be available for Wednesday’s Group C finale against Scotland.
The comeback marks a significant moment for both Neymar and Brazil, as the Seleção welcomes back its all-time leading scorer while preparing for the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The absence dates to Oct. 17, 2023, when a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in Montevideo ended with Neymar leaving the pitch with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and torn meniscus in his left knee. He has not worn Brazil’s jersey in a competitive match since, according to an ESPN report.
Neymar’s Availability Confirmed
Ancelotti made the announcement after Brazil’s 3-0 win over Haiti on Friday, with clarity that surprised many who expected Neymar to miss the entire group stage.
“Neymar will train individually tomorrow. On Monday he will be with the team and he will be ready for the game against Scotland,” the coach said, as quoted by ESPN‘s News Services.
Neymar “will be available” for the Scotland match, Ancelotti said — though a bench role appears more likely than a start as the medical staff manages his workload coming off a Grade II right calf muscle strain he sustained May 17 while playing for Santos against Coritiba.
That calf setback forced him to miss Brazil’s opening draw with Morocco and the Haiti victory. He reported to camp May 27 but had not rejoined full team sessions until this week, training alone on the sideline in Morristown, New Jersey, before gradually working back into group sessions.
“He is my idol and has always given me a lot of support. I hope he comes back for the next game and helps us throughout the World Cup,” Brazil and Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior said, as quoted by ESPN.
Neymar’s Long Road Back
At 34, Neymar remains Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals across 129 international appearances, a record that stands despite the injury-fractured back half of his career. His first World Cup came on home soil in 2014, when a fractured vertebra in the quarterfinal against Colombia ended his tournament early and sent Brazil into the semifinal without him. If he plays Wednesday, it would mark his fourth World Cup appearance.
Neymar’s injury history is long. Beyond the 2014 vertebra fracture and the 2023 ACL tear, metatarsal fractures disrupted his availability in 2018 and 2019. Time at Al-Hilal from 2023 to 2025, before a return to Santos, produced further health complications. Transfermarkt‘s injury data puts his career missed-match total at more than 270, across an estimated 45-plus separate injuries.
Whether Ancelotti deploys him as a late substitute against Scotland or holds him for the knockout rounds, Neymar’s return to the active squad is the story Brazil’s World Cup has been waiting for. The match kicks off Wednesday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, with Brazil holding four points in Group C and a likely win or draw against Scotland securing advancement.
Neymar Set for Brazil Return After 700-Day International Absence