On a sweltering June evening in Miami Gardens, Brazilian football fans clad in the iconic canary yellow of their national team packed Miami Stadium to the rafters, and their roar was loud enough to reach low-Earth orbit. The object of their unbridled adoration? Neymar, the global superstar making his first appearance for Brazil in nearly three years following a devastating long-term injury. It was a moment that overshadowed even Brazil’s decisive 3-0 Group C victory over Scotland, a result that has left Scotland’s 2026 World Cup campaign hanging by a thread.
Neymar’s journey back to the international pitch was anything but easy. In October 2023, the forward suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus during a World Cup qualifier, an injury that sidelined him for months and left him starved of competitive match fitness through his recovery. At 34, he is no longer the young, undisputed leading light of the Brazilian national squad that he was at previous tournaments, but his popularity among supporters remains undimmed.
Brazil dominated the first 75 minutes of the match, with rising star Vinicius Jnr netting two first-half goals before Matheus Cunha added a third late in the second half to seal the win. But long before Neymar stepped onto the pitch, every mention of his name on the stadium’s giant four display screens, every hint of his upcoming substitution, drew deafening cheers that drowned out even the celebrations for Brazil’s goals.
When Cunha was substituted off in the 76th minute and Neymar finally walked onto the pitch to replace him, the stadium erupted. The star spent just 20 minutes on the pitch, recording 24 touches and one shot on target – a stat line that understates the electric atmosphere his presence created. For the crowd, the moment itself mattered more than the numbers.
After the match, Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti defended the decision to bring Neymar into the fold, praising the forward’s relentless work ethic through his recovery. “He trained and worked hard to recover, with professionalism,” Ancelotti told reporters in the post-match press conference. “For this World Cup, I think that he can help the team with his qualities. I think he played well, the few minutes he was on the pitch. Neymar needs no ulterior motivation. Everyone loves him here. He needs no motivation to wear the colours of Brazil. Neymar is still the same, and at 34, he has the same passion he had as a kid.”
The moment capped a jubilant night for Brazil, who moved to the top of Group C with the three points. As five-time World Cup winners, Brazil have not lifted the sport’s biggest prize since 2002, and the nation is hungry for a sixth title to add to its storied history. Under Ancelotti, the team has struggled for consistency of late, dropping matches to elite sides including Argentina, France and Morocco heading into the tournament, but this dominant display against Scotland offered a glimpse of the attacking swagger the side is capable of.
For fans leaving the stadium, the biggest talking point was not just the three points or the top spot in the group – it was the return of their beloved hero. One long-time supporter told BBC Sport, “Pele is the best player of all time. No comparison. He won three World Cups for Brazil. Neymar will be among the best ones. He could be in the same level as Ronaldo or Ronaldinho if he wins the World Cup. I think he’s able to open up the field and bring out jogo bonito [play beautifully], as they say. They have to respect who he is and who he once was, because if you don’t, he’ll make you pay, that’s for sure.”
For Scotland, the result leaves their World Cup dream in tatters, sitting at the bottom of Group C on the brink of elimination heading into the final matchday.