Neymar's Return to Brazil Squad Amidst Fitness Concerns and Political Jabs

Last week, at an event in Belo Horizonte, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva mocked Neymar, calling him a 'work-from-home player'.

Naturally, this was not taken well. In Brazil, the inclusion of Neymar in the national team is not a laughing matter.

There has been a fierce debate for months about whether Carlo Ancelotti should call up a player who is half-fit and has passed his prime.

Lula's sarcasm might be linked to Neymar's active support for his controversial far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. However, some Brazilians who disagree with Neymar's political views are still deeply hoping he will be fit for the crucial World Cup match against Scotland in Miami on Wednesday.

The initial signs in this regard are certainly encouraging. Despite missing his country's first two matches in North America, Neymar appears to have fully recovered from the ankle injury that put his fourth World Cup participation at risk. He is expected to be on the substitute list for a match in which Brazil must win, and possibly with a superior performance, to secure the top spot in Group 'C'.

• 'Extraordinary History'

Lucas Paquetá claimed that everyone in the Brazil squad was 'very happy' that Neymar returned to the training ground earlier this week.

The attacking midfielder told reporters, 'He is a very important player for the national team. He has an extraordinary history with this jersey, and he can still help us a lot. We hope he will be available as soon as possible to contribute to the team.'

Of course, it is still unclear what exactly Neymar can 'contribute' at this particular time.

• 45 Games in Three Years

Brazil's top scorer is actually in the team only because of his 'extraordinary history'. He has not done anything worthy of being in the squad in the last three months, let alone the last three years.

In fact, since playing for Brazil against Uruguay on October 18, 2023, Neymar has played only 45 professional football matches and scored only 17 goals.

In comparison, another forward, João Pedro, who was controversially left out of Brazil's World Cup squad, surpassed both these figures last season alone. He scored 20 goals in 50 games for Chelsea.

• Messi's Influence?

Of course, Neymar is only 34 years old. However, he is certainly not a 'young 34'. Four years ago in Qatar, Lionel Messi was a year older than him when he inspired Argentina to win the World Cup.

However, Neymar's innate talent can be compared to his former teammate and close friend Messi. Off the field, however, there is a world of difference between the two. This is why this Brazilian player has not been able to realize his full potential. On the other hand, Messi continues to exceed all expectations even at the age of 38.

However, Neymar's presence, whether on the field or just on the bench, has the potential to have a similar impact on his teammates as Messi.

• Popular Player

Despite a reprehensible character like slapping a teenage teammate, Neymar is a very popular figure in his home country Brazil and, more importantly, in the national team.

Casemiro was among those who advocated for Neymar to be called up to the World Cup squad this year after playing just eight league games for Santos. Similarly, Vinícius Júnior is one of many members of Ancelotti's squad who still look up to this notorious non-professional player.

The Real Madrid superstar said, 'His presence in the team is very important for all of us. He is my idol and has always supported me a lot. I hope he returns for the next match (against Scotland) and helps us throughout the World Cup.'

• Needs Help

There is no doubt that Brazil needs some help. Although Ancelotti's team is at the top of Group 'C', they have not performed satisfactorily in their first two matches.

After the cooling break in the first match of the competition against Morocco, Vinícius's magical performance brought the game level, but Seleção could have, and indeed should have, fallen behind by more than one goal.

As the game progressed, Brazil undoubtedly improved. Looking at the performance in New Jersey, it is very difficult to believe that they are capable of winning their sixth World Cup in a month.

The story of the match against Haiti was similar. Brazil may have won 3-0, and Matheus Cunha may have proven better than Igor Thiago in attack. However, their dependence on Vinícius to do something new in the game was once again exposed. This time, it was against one of the weakest teams in the competition.

• Door of Opportunity

Naturally, the calls for Neymar to be included in the squad as soon as he is fit have grown louder due to Brazil's lack of coordination and creativity in attack. Now, the path for his comeback has also opened up.

In the match against Haiti, Ancelotti lost Raphinha due to injury. Immediately after, the Italian coach revealed that Neymar would be available for selection for the match against Scotland. Raphinha is confirmed to be out until at least the Round of 16. In such a situation, if Neymar gets some playing time in Miami, there is a real possibility that we will see him in the starting eleven for the Round of 32 match.

Given his continuous injury problems in recent years, this is certainly a big condition, but Brazil will accept it.

In fact, Neymar has been nothing more than a part-time player since the last World Cup. However, in the eyes of his numerous countrymen, his past performance gives hope that it can solve current problems.

Goal.com