Neymar Wiped Away Tears in His First World Cup Minutes in Nearly Three Years

Neymar is back on the World Cup stage, and the emotions hit him the second his foot touched the grass.

The 34-year-old Brazilian forward came off the bench in the 76th minute of Brazil’s 3-0 win over Scotland on Thursday night in Miami, making his first appearance at a World Cup since he limped off against Croatia in Qatar in 2022. This time, he was crying before he even took a meaningful touch.

Cameras caught Neymar wiping tears from his eyes shortly after entering the match at Miami Stadium. He hugged teammates on the field and, after the final whistle, went straight to his family on the sideline.

The long road back

Neymar’s inclusion in Carlo Ancelotti’s 26-man squad raised eyebrows from the start. He hadn’t played for Brazil since October 2023 — a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay — and calf problems kept him out of Brazil’s first two group matches against Morocco and Japan. Even now, he’s not close to being a guaranteed starter on a team that rolls out Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha, and Matheus Cunha in attack.

But Brazil had already sealed qualification and top spot in Group C before kickoff. With a 3-0 lead and the result secure, Ancelotti gave Neymar his 129th cap. It was a feel-good moment for a player who now plays club football at Santos, the team he came up with, and barely avoided relegation with them last season.

Neymar looked sharp enough in his short cameo. He moved well, showed a few flashes of the quick feet that made him the face of Brazilian soccer for a decade, and didn’t seem to be protecting his calf. That’s more than anyone could have asked for.

What comes next

Brazil finished top of Group C, which means they’ll face the runner-up from Group F — that group includes the Netherlands, Japan, and Sweden. The Round of 16 match is scheduled for Monday in Houston.

It’s unlikely Neymar starts that game. Vinícius Jr. is the focal point of this attack now. Raphina is in top form. Cunha has been physical and effective. But if Brazil needs a spark off the bench late in a knockout game, the symbolism of bringing on Neymar is real — and the guy can still play.

He just has to prove it with minutes in his legs. Thursday was a solid first step. The tears said the rest.