Neymar Back In Focus As World Cup Nears

What comes to mind when one thinks of the FIFA World Cup 2014? The Adidas Brazuca ball, the anthems “La La La” and “We Are One,” and Mario Götze’s injury-time winner in the final. And then, there is something else.

The hosts. The favourites. Brazil bowed out of their home World Cup with a crushing 7–1 defeat to Germany in the semi-final. Just days earlier, a 22-year-old forward was seen in tears as he was stretchered off in the 88th minute of the quarter-final against Colombia. By then, he had already contributed to five goals, carrying the weight of a nation’s hopes while dazzling fans around the world. Doubts soon followed about his future. Some even questioned whether he would walk again.

It became one of football’s great tragedies: the story of a player whose potential never fully matched his achievements. The prince, many called him. The prince who never became king. Neymar Jr.

Now it is 2026, with another World Cup on the horizon. Yet Brazil’s recent form tells an unfamiliar story. The five-time champions, so deeply woven into football culture, have struggled for results, exiting tournaments without silverware. Players have been labelled “club products,” accused of lacking intent. “One of the worst teams in recent years,” said their own icon, Ronaldinho. Rarely have Brazil appeared so vulnerable.

This cycle, however, brings change. Brazil are now under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti, replacing Tite.

But what of Neymar? Is this a World Cup without him? Will the yellow shirt no longer carry his flair, creativity and daring runs? Ancelotti has not closed the door. Asked last year, the Italian said the forward would need to be “100 percent fit,” while acknowledging his rare talent and the injuries that have disrupted his career.

Last Sunday offered a reminder. Neymar returned to action for Santos, playing his first minutes since undergoing minor left-knee surgery in December. He showed courage rather than caution, pushing through pain to help his boyhood club avoid relegation last season. Now, he continues his road back to full fitness. With only a handful of Santos matches remaining before the March international break, time is running short to force his way into Ancelotti’s plans.

After the 2014 injury, many believed he might never play again. No one could guarantee a return. Yet he did return, and those boots once more met the ball, reigniting stadiums. Boots that had been crushed, strained and doubted found their way back onto the grass.

Injuries have repeatedly denied him continuity at the very top. Despite being Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, his international honours remain limited. He has not featured for the national team since October 2023. A semi-final exit has never felt like closure. The equaliser against Croatia cannot be his final international moment.

The hunger remains. So does the belief. Is one last comeback possible? One final act of redemption? As the World Cup draws closer, the football world waits, fingers crossed, hoping this time the story does not end in heartbreak but in yellow-clad joy.