MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Brazilian football icon Neymar stepped onto the FIFA World Cup pitch for his first appearance in this year’s tournament Wednesday, making a successful comeback from a month-long calf injury just in time for the competition’s knockout round starting next week.
The 34-year-old forward, who missed Brazil’s opening two group stage matches through the right calf injury, entered the match as a 76th-minute substitute with Brazil already holding a comfortable 3-0 lead over Scotland. The final scoreline held firm, securing Brazil’s place in the knockout stage of the tournament.
Neymar’s return had been teased for days: the Brazilian camp confirmed earlier this week he had recovered enough to be available for selection, matching head coach Carlo Ancelotti’s early projection that the star would feature off the bench rather than starting. When Neymar rose from the substitutes’ bench to begin warm-up sprints and stretches along the sideline in the second half, the stands packed with Brazilian fans erupted into deafening roars. Cheers grew even louder when he officially checked into the match and made his first touch of the ball.
Hours before kickoff, Neymar had already given fans a sign of his readiness: he was one of the last players to exit the team bus upon arrival at Hard Rock Stadium, flashing a cheerful thumbs-up, waving to crowds and high-fiving well-wishers on his way to the locker room.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Brazil star Vinícius Júnior – who netted two of Brazil’s three goals against Scotland – called Neymar’s return a landmark moment for the whole squad. “Our idol is back, a guy who always fought hard and did everything to be here, returning after a spell out with injury,” Vinícius said, speaking in Portuguese. “I hope he can keep evolving and keep improving, helping us throughout the competition. That’s what matters most.”
A day before the match, Ancelotti had confirmed Neymar’s fitness and his place in the squad, telling reporters: “He trained very well this week. He is fit and able, ready to play. We are very happy that he is back. He is a high-quality player.”
The calf injury that kept Neymar sidelined ahead of the tournament kept him out of action for more than a month, with a full training session on Sunday marking the final clearing hurdle for his return. This World Cup marks Neymar’s fourth consecutive World Cup appearance for Brazil, and he enters the knockout rounds as the nation’s all-time leading international goalscorer, with 79 goals across 130 senior caps. He has previously scored eight goals across the last three World Cup tournaments.
Neymar’s place in the 2024 squad has been a topic of heated debate among Brazilian football fans in recent months. The star has struggled for form and fitness since tearing his left knee ACL during a 2023 World Cup qualifier, with just four goals in eight club appearances for Brazilian side Santos this season. Still, his teammates have voiced full confidence in his ability to contribute to Brazil’s World Cup run. “Every player here will be a huge help to us in this competition,” Vinícius reaffirmed Wednesday.
This report was compiled with contributions from AP Sports Writer Alanis Thames.