Will Neymar join the superstar party at the 2026 World Cup?

Often, after months of hype and building names up as each team's 'key man' players often fail to live up to the billing, but the total opposite seems to be happening in North America. 

This is looking like a World Cup where the superstars are taking centre stage, just like you want them to, and why we tune into the game's grandest stage.

Messi has broken records, Mbappe is making the finals his own, while Haaland is reveling in his World Cup debut. That's without mentioning match-winning performances from Oilse, Kane, and yes, of course, Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Yet there's one name we haven't seen yet, a name that for a long time belonged in that same company but has seen its stock fall in recent years as he left the European spotlight. 

So ahead of a possible return tonight, can Neymar join the party and enjoy his last dance in the summer spotlight? 

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Neymar's World Cup

The Brazilian is no stranger to the World Cup platform. This will be his fourth tournament with the national team, but his role is in stark contrast to how it began in 2014. 

Back then, in the home tournament, Neymar was the young Barcelona star, ready to take on the mantle of Brazil's biggest name in his first World Cup. 

It began well, scoring in two of the group games, amid some controversy over a clash with Luka Modric in the opening fixture. He then helped his side through to the quarter-finals with a penalty shootout win over Chile. However, injury then struck against Colombia, ruling him out of a semi-final that went on to be the darkest day in Brazilian football. 

Four years later, injury struck again. This time, pre-tournament and the now PSG man eased his way into the summer, but still managed to net twice in Russia before Brazil were eliminated by Belgium in the quarterfinals. 

He perhaps saved his best for 2022. Shrugging off yet another injury, he inspired Brazil to a run to the quarter-finals once again, but not even his spectacular solo goal could stop the Selecao losing to Croatia on penalties. Becoming Brazil's all-time leading scorer was little solace, and it looked as though his World Cup dream was over. Getty

Carlo's call 

Fast forward to 2026, and Neymar is back. Somewhat unexpectedly, too. 

Having seen his career take a winding-down turn, the 34-year-old has spent the last two seasons back at his first club, Santos, following a spell in Saudi Arabia. 

His form there has been impressive, even if not to the standards he set in his pomp, but such has been his drop in profile that he hasn't actually played for the national team since 2023. 

However, Carlo Ancelotti decided his World Cup squad needed a bit more X-factor and included the forward in his final 26 ahead of Joao Pedro, raising eyebrows higher than the Italian's famous pose. 

Ancelotti isn't bothered about egos, after all, his handeled some of the biggest dressing rooms on the planet, and obviously believes Neymar gives him something a little bit extra that still no one else can. 
 

@CBF_Futebol

The last dance 

So here we are, on the brink of an unlikely comeback from a career where drama has seemed to follow the mercurial striker throughout his career. 

For so many years, it always felt he was playing catch-up with the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, and Mbappe, who all outshone him, when in any other era, he would probably have been lauded as the best in the world. Almost an Andy Murray, caught in a world where the best the sport has ever to offer all came at the same time and played down their own once-in-a-lifetime talent. 

Now he can play catch-up again, but in the most enjoyable way possible. This time, he's not looking for parity or Ballon d'Ors, but just an opportunity to remind everyone he's still here and what he can do. 

One last moment in the sun from a player who has probably never quite been given the full top-tier flowers his talent deserved. The superstars have already made their mark, but there may be one late arrival to join the fun. 

 

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