In Brazilian football circles, the most important question right now is whether he will be able to play in the 2026 World Cup. The mystery surrounding Neymar's future has emerged as the most valuable talking point.
Last week, in the Ballon d'Or ceremony, Paris, Neymar was preoccupied with recovering from an injury. Ousmane Dembélé, who once joined Barcelona as Neymar's replacement, clinched the Ballon d'Or this year after navigating numerous ups and downs.
Neymar, on the other hand, recently became a runner-up in a poker tournament, taking home a prize of 73,800 pounds.
Has football, then, taken a backseat in Neymar's life?
The fact remains that since joining Santos in January, the Brazilian star has been unable to play in 47 percent of matches.
Who is the culprit?
The same old nemesis - injuries. He has scored nine goals this year in Santos' jersey, five of which came against lower division teams.
Even his renowned dribbling skills are now under scrutiny. According to a football statistics website, Neymar ranks 50th in successful dribbles in the Brazilian league. His team, Santos, is currently fighting relegation. The number 10 jersey star can no longer effortlessly make a difference.
The concern lies here. Nevertheless, Brazil's national team coach, Carlo Ancelotti, remains hopeful. In front of Brazilian media, Ancelotti stated that Neymar still has ample time to prove his fitness before the World Cup. Neymar, however, stirred controversy by not getting a chance in the team during the previous international window.
Neymar had said, he “was left out for technical reasons; it has nothing to do with my physical condition".Later, Ancelotti admitted it.
That's where the fear of Brazilian football fans lies. Despite the presence of Vinicius, Raphinha, Casemiro, and Matheus Cunha, a fully fit and skillful Neymar remains the most formidable asset!
