The countdown to the 2026 World Cup is not only filled with expectations but also accompanied by great uncertainty: Neymar’s future with the Brazil national team.
In recent hours, a former PSG player and 1994 World Cup champion with Brazil made statements that ignited the debate over whether the 34-year-old forward will be fit for the tournament.
Should Neymar go to the World Cup?
Raí Souza Vieira de Oliveira, better known simply as Raí, appeared on the program Rothen S’enflamme, where he discussed the Canarinha’s situation ahead of the long-awaited tournament and, of course, Neymar.
The Brazilian legend warned that Brazil loses competitive edge without the #10, whom he praised, but noted that his physical condition could be decisive:
“If he comes, he’ll have an impact on the team,” Raí stated. “Ancelotti is gauging the players to see what they think. He’s a shrewd coach; he’ll know how to tell if Neymar is a positive influence on the team,” he added.
“He’s not at his best; he’s had a lot of physical problems. He can’t get back to his top form; he’s lost speed. Of course, he still makes great passes-he’s a star-but I think right now he’s not at the level he needs to be,” he concluded.
The concern is significant: Neymar has suffered a string of injuries in recent years and is still struggling to regain consistency. In the summer of 2023, Neymar moved to Saudi Arabia to play for Al Hilal, but his time with the Saudi club did not go as expected due to his injuries, and he returned to Santos in 2025 after terminating his contract with the Saudi club.
His place on the national team depends largely on convincing the coaching staff led by Carlo Ancelotti, who has made it clear that he will only select players in peak condition, but a lack of match fitness could be another decisive factor in Carletto’s decision.
The fact is that since the last game he played for the Verdeamarela on October 17, 2023-when he suffered a knee injury during the South American qualifiers against Uruguay-Ney has not played for the national team again.
With Peixe, he has played 9 games, scoring 4 goals (3 in the league, 1 in the Sudamericana) and providing 4 assists. However, he has sat out some matches as a precaution, and during Brazil’s friendlies against Croatia and France in March (for which he was not called up), he underwent a regenerative surgical procedure using platelet-rich plasma to accelerate his recovery, strengthen the joint tissue, and regain his peak physical condition.
He is now set to return to action on Saturday, the 24th, when he will face Bahia at 5:30 PM ET in the Brasileirão, but Neymar is expected to sit out that match to rest so he can play in the game on the 28th, when they will face San Lorenzo in Argentina for the Copa Sudamericana at 6:00 PM ET.
Meanwhile, Ancelotti is set to announce the final World Cup roster on May 18, the date when we will finally know whether Neymar’s name will be on it or not.
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