Neymar Júnior entered the 76th minute of the match between Brazil and Scotland and played his first minutes in the 2026 World Cup. The forward returned to the national team after missing the first two games due to a muscle injury and returned to play in a World Cup almost four years after his last World Cup match.
The return of Neymar Júnior finally occurred. At minute 76 of the match between Brazil and Scotland, corresponding to the third day of Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the forward came on as a substitute and played his first minutes in the current World Cup.
The 34-year-old Brazilian attacker was received with a standing ovation by the fans present at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, who were awaiting his return after overcoming the muscle injury that prevented him from participating in the matches against Morocco and Haiti.
An expected return
Neymar’s presence in the squad had already generated expectations after completing his recovery and returning to compete with Santos, the club where he began his professional career.
His entry represents important news for the team led by Carlo Ancelotti, which recovers one of its most experienced players just before the start of the direct elimination phase.
According to the Spanish statistician MisterChip (Alexis Martín-Tamayo)Neymar once again played a World Cup match 1,289 days after his last appearance, recorded in the quarterfinals of Qatar 2022 against Croatia. The data reflects the magnitude of a return marked by injuries and a long recovery process.
The images of his admission also reflected the footballer’s emotion. Videos broadcast by 433, Fabrizio Romano and the account Som Hi Serem FCB They showed the warm reception he received from the Brazilian public and the support of his teammates when he once again wore the Canarinha shirt in a World Cup.
His fourth World Cup
With this participation, Neymar is playing in his fourth World Cup with Brazil, after having been present in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 editions.
So far, his World Cup numbers are the following:
- Brazil 2014: 5 games, 4 goals and 1 assist.
- Russia 2018: 5 games, 2 goals and 1 assist.
- Qatar 2022: 3 games, 2 goals and 1 assist.
His entry occurred when Brazil controlled the match against Scotland and led to the victory that later allowed them to secure the lead in Group C.
Beyond the result, Neymar’s return represents one of the most relevant news for the Canarinha at the close of the group stage. After overcoming a muscle injury and a long recovery process, Brazil once again has one of its greatest references to face the decisive phase of the 2026 World Cup.