Neymar Junior, di Brazil legend and all-time top scorer, don come out and insist say im dey fit and ready, but whether im go make Carlo Ancelotti final 26-man squad for di 2026 FIFA World Cup — wey start on June 11 for USA, Canada and Mexico — na question wey millions of people dey ask right now.
Di World Cup don dey close. Brazil go play their first group stage match against Morocco at MetLife Stadium on June 13, before dem face Haiti and Scotland for Philadelphia and Miami. And di biggest topic in Brazilian football circles na: will Neymar be there?
Wetin Happen to Neymar?
Make we go back small. In October 2023, Neymar tear im anterior cruciate ligament while playing for Brazil — na serious, devastating injury. E miss about one full year of football. E then undergo more surgery in December 2025 for a long-standing knee problem wey don dey disturb am.
After long road to recovery, di 34-year-old return to Santos — di Brazilian club where im career first start — and e don begin show some of di magic wey make di world love am. In im last four appearances for Santos, Neymar score two goals and set up two more, playing 315 minutes total. Na encouraging signs.
Ancelotti Position
Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti — yes, di same Ancelotti wey use to manage Real Madrid — don address di Neymar question plenty times. Im tone na cautiously positive but realistic. For interview, Ancelotti say: “If he gets back to 100%, which he is fully capable of, he will be able to play for the national team. I’ve said it many times: I will call up the fittest players.”
Ancelotti don leave Neymar out of recent friendlies — including matches against France and Portugal — but e acknowledge say di player dey make progress. “He needs to get to a good level with fitness, play minutes and stay on the field,” Ancelotti add. Di message clear: nobody go give am free pass to di World Cup squad based on name alone. Di body must cooperate.
Di final squad announcement for Brazil dey expected to drop today — May 18, 2026. So di answer go soon be clear for everyone.
Neymar Own Words
Neymar imself don speak. E say im done im absolute best to return and e dey happy with where im fitness dey right now. E also dismiss criticism from people wey say e no fit make am. “I managed to come back well in the last match. I’m happy and relieved to be back a little stronger than before,” e tell journalists.
Di player also acknowledge say retirement na possibility for 2026, given all di injury wahala. But e make am clear say im dream na to represent Brazil one more time for World Cup soil — especially with di tournament dey happen for North America, so close and accessible. For a man wey never win World Cup despite being one of di greatest ever, dis could be im last chance.
Messi and Others Support Neymar
Lionel Messi — Neymar close friend and former Barcelona teammate — don openly support Neymar inclusion for di World Cup squad. Messi make am clear say Neymar remain one of di best in di world when im dey fit. “Nobody is like him,” Messi reportedly say. Di words of di greatest player of all time carry weight.
Former players and analysts wey watch Neymar football also echo dis. When im dey fit and sharp, im ability with di ball na something else — e fit do tings wey scare defenders. Di comparison to Ronaldinho dey come up again and again when people describe wetin Neymar do with a ball when everything dey click.
Di Bigger Question — Brazil World Cup Chances
Whether Neymar dey there or not, Brazil go be one of di serious contenders for di 2026 World Cup. Di squad get Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, Estevao and other world-class talents. Dem been winning friendlies and building chemistry.
But for Brazilian fans, World Cup without Neymar go feel incomplete — like something dey missing from di story. Di man score 79 goals for Brazil national team, making am their all-time top scorer. E play 128 times for di country. If dis na truly im last chance, millions of people go dey praying for am to make di squad and maybe — just maybe — finally lift di trophy wey Brazil don dey thirst for since 2002.
Wetin Go Happen Next?
Today na di day of reckoning. Di Brazil squad announcement expected on May 18. If Neymar name dey inside, social media go explode. If im no dey there, na another sad chapter for one of football greatest careers wey injury don interrupt too many times.
For now, di man say im dey fine, im dey fit, and im ready. Ancelotti go make di final call. Whatever happen, Neymar legacy as one of di most gifted footballers wey ever live don already be cemented — with or without di World Cup.
— ThePidginBlog Sports Desk | 18 May 2026
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