Neymar is back in the Brazilian National Team for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and is preparing to face Bolivia and Peru. He is very close to breaking Pelé’s record as the top scorer in the history of the Brazilian National Team according to FIFA figures.
In the 1-1 draw with Croatia, Neymar equalized Pele with 77 goals to his name. It should be mentioned, however, that FIFA only considers official international matches and not friendly matches against clubs or combined teams.
After recovering from a muscle injury, Neymar was unsure whether to make the qualifiers due to thigh problems. Despite this, through regular training and a conversation with coach Fernando Diniz, he was eventually included in the squad.
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Coach Diniz’s admiration for Neymar
“It is very difficult to find another player like Neymar. He is a very rare talent and he deserves, until the end of his career, to write the most beautiful chapter in his history. A chapter that I believe has yet to be written,” Diniz said after the call-up was announced.
The long-awaited return of Neymar
Neymar’s last official meeting dates back to February 19, during the match against Lille in the French championship. On that occasion, he provided an assist and scored a goal in PSG’s 4-3 victory, but he left the field in the 6th minute of the second half due to an ankle injury.
This season, the talented Brazilian striker played his first match on August 3, scoring twice in Paris Saint-Germain’s 3-0 victory over South Korea’s Jeonbuk Motors in a pre-season friendly.
