Neymar undergoes surgery; hopes to return to national squad
Neymar has undergone a successful Neymar is expected to require a recovery period of around a month. His Santos contract expires at the end of the year, but he is in talks with the club over a new deal. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward has not played for Brazil in over two years but hopes to be fit and feature in coach Carlo Ancelotti’s plans for Fifa World Cup 2026 Neymar is Brazil’s record goalscorer with 79 goals from 128 matches. The operation was made on his left knee to repair a damaged meniscus, his club Santos said on Monday. The 33-year-old endured a difficult season with Santos as he played through the injury to help the club avoid relegation from Brazil’s top flight. Brazil’s national team doctor performed the arthroscopic surgery, having previously operated on Neymar for a foot fracture as well as the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament he suffered against Uruguay in October 2023.
Ancelotti said Brazil does not have a ‘valuable player at the moment! Doubts over Neymar’s return to the national squad
Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti has commented that the country does not have the ‘referential footballer’ in the team! Referential means the ‘tag’ of most valuable footballer in the squad, which Neymar Jr. has mainly worn since the 2014 World Cup. “We have one of the world’s best goalkeepers, some of the best defenders, top midfielders and some players up front. I don’t want players who want to be the best in the world, I want players who want to win the World Cup,” Ancelotti said. His statement suggests that uncertainty still looms large over 33-year-old Neymar’s inclusion in the national team for the forthcoming World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. The Italian has yet to pick the former captain since he took over in May. “If Neymar is better than others, he will play in the World Cup, and that’s it. But I don’t have debts to anyone,” Ancelotti said at a press conference in Washington on Friday following the draw. Brazil is in Group C with Morocco, Haiti and Scotland. The veteran coach added, “If we speak about Neymar, we have to speak about other players,” Ancelotti added. “We have to think about Brazil with or without Neymar, with or without other players. Our final list will be made after the FIFA fixtures in March.” The 33-year-old Neymar has not fully recovered from tearing his ACL in October 2023 during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay. He has also been playing a critical role for Santos as the club fights relegation in the Brazilian championship. On Wednesday, despite a muscle injury, he scored a hat trick for Santos. He is expected to play again Sunday against Cruzeiro. Asked about his team’s group, Ancelotti said Brazil can top it. “We can win all three matches, our idea is very clear. We need to be competitive during the entire World Cup. Our goal is to play in the final, and for that to happen, you need to face very strong teams anyway.” Brazil won the last of its five World Cup trophies in 2002. Morocco were very good during the last World Cup in Qatar, and Scotland is also a solid squad. It will not be easy at all, revealed Ancelotti while speaking to Brazilian television station Sportv. Brazil will start their campaign against Morocco on 13th June.
Injured Neymar strikes a hat-trick; desperate to get a national call-up
Despite sustaining a knee injury, Neymar Jr. struck a hat-trick, helping his childhood club Santos FC to go out of relegation from the Brazilian Premier league. The 33-year-old Brazilian World Cupper scored three goals within only 17 minutes, sending Santos FC to record a 3-0 victory and two points clear of the bottom four with one match left. Neymar is not being called up in the national preparatory camp by national coach Carlo Ancelotti since 2023 and looks desperate to get a national call-up. Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti said in October that Neymar remains in his plans for next year’s World Cup, but the striker must regain full fitness. The striker has scored five goals so far and provided one assist in his club team’s last three matches, guiding the club to garner seven points to be placed at 14th in the League table. Santos hosts Cruzeiro on Sunday in the last match of the campaign.
