Neymar has turned 34 and this may make those who consider the Brazilian star as a teenager feel worried forever. However, for this player, another number is even more frightening: World Cup 2026 is only 18 weeks away.
That means Neymar probably only has 15 weeks left to win a spot in the Brazilian national team squad of coach Carlo Ancelotti. This is a race against time, and Neymar will have to start from scratch.
Winning the World Cup trophy is the biggest ambition left in Neymar's long, colorful and sometimes controversial career. Some even consider it an opportunity for him to atone for his mistakes.
This seems to be a harsh assessment for Brazil's all-time top scorer, a person who has won both the UEFA Champions League and Copa Libertadores titles, and brought football many glorious moments full of personal inspiration. But in the perception of fans and perhaps even in his own thoughts, Neymar has not met all expectations.
To justify Neymar, it must be said that expectations are too high. More than 15 years ago, Neymar started his career and if he did not win both the Ballon d'Or and the World Cup championship, he would be considered a failure. Regarding the first ambition, it seems that the opportunity has passed.
As for his second ambition, he still hopes to shine in North America this summer. That dream has helped him overcome hours of physical therapy and arduous training since his serious knee injury when playing for the national team in October 2023.
Nearly 2 and a half years have passed, and there is still no convincing evidence that he has fully recovered. Returning to Santos in Brazil last year has become a long and disappointing process.
Some opinions suggest that, with the goal of being recalled to the national team in March last year, Neymar forced himself to play too many matches too early and paid the price. From one injury to another, Neymar has never had stable form.
The 34-year-old player can still take accurate and powerful free kicks, has the ability to observe and make good passes. But can he escape the opponent's marking and turn the tide in a top match?
The last days of the 2025 season have ignited a ray of hope. Neymar has postponed a minor knee surgery to save Santos from relegation prospects in the last 3 rounds. What are their opponents? Two teams have been relegated and one team uses a reserve squad. Therefore, nothing compares to the peak performance of a World Cup match.
Since then, the former Barcelona striker has put aside the sequelae after knee surgery and focused on regaining fitness to compete. Currently, he is in a comprehensive training phase and the time to return to the pitch is approaching. Fortunately, adjusting the schedule of the Brazilian national league may have helped Neymar.
Modern football not only requires talent. But also physical strength and competition intensity. If Neymar deserves to be called up, if he plays well and is superior to other options, he will come to the World Cup. But only when he reaches 100% of his form, not 80%" - Ancelotti said at the end of last year.
Suppose Neymar can regain his fitness and good form, where can he play in the team? Ancelotti divides his attacking options into three types. There are wingers, and Neymar is not among them.
I think he should play in the center. Not on the wing, because in modern football, wingers must support defense" - Ancelotti said.
Next are the number 9 center forwards, people like Richarlison, Igor Jesus and Pedro of Flamengo. Again, this is not suitable for Neymar's model.
That leads to the virtual number 9 striker position, or as Ancelotti imagines, a combination of number 9 and number 10 striker - a person who operates a little deeper, creating a passing option for the players behind and providing opportunities for the players in front.
Barcelona star, Raphinha, may be an option in this position. Ancelotti is clearly a big fan of Matheus Cunha, the striker who played the most in the short time he led the team. And Joao Pedro of Chelsea is also another strong candidate.
Thus, the competition is very fierce. There may be a direct competition for a spot in the squad between Neymar and Endrick, who had an explosive start during his loan spell at Lyon.
Endrick is only 19 years old and still has a lot of time. Neymar is not when he is 34 years old. And this is the last chance for Neymar to win glory at the World Cup.
