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Neymar's hopes of featuring at the 2026 World Cup remain alive, though it may have come at the cost of teenage sensation Estêvão, whose tournament dream has been heartbreakingly dashed.
Neymar has been absent from the national team for nearly three years, after tearing the ACL and meniscus in his left knee during a World Cup qualifying clash against Uruguay back in October 2023.
His career has struggled to regain momentum ever since, with Al Hilal releasing him in early 2025 before he returned to Santos, where persistent fitness issues have continued to hamper his playing time.
Neymar had been eyeing a Brazil recall ahead of the World Cup, but prospects looked dim when Carlo Ancelotti left the 34-year-old out of his most recent squad in March. It was yet another snub from the coach, who has consistently stated that only players "physically ready" would earn a call-up.
Nevertheless, the Italian manager remarked in April that Neymar was "on the right track" and hadn't been completely ruled out. "He needs to keep going in this direction and build up his fitness," he added.
Now, with May and FIFA's preliminary squad deadline having arrived, his World Cup hopes are still very much alive.
ESPN reports that Neymar has been included in Ancelotti's provisional selection. These preliminary rosters can contain between 35 and 55 players and don't require public disclosure, but the final 26-man squads must be drawn from these lists, with the submission deadline set for May 11.
Neymar still faces a significant hurdle, as up to 29 players from the preliminary squad will ultimately be cut. He missed Santos' final Brasileirão fixture in April and their first in May, but has since found the net in back-to-back appearances. When fit, he tends to deliver — availability remains the key question.
Brazil Snub Caught Estêvão Unaware
It seems a spot opened up for Neymar partly due to the decision to leave out Chelsea winger Estêvão, with the 19-year-old deemed unlikely to recover from injury in time. He was left in tears when a hamstring problem resurfaced during Chelsea's loss to Manchester United on April 18.
Whether Neymar's provisional inclusion was directly linked to Estêvão's exclusion remains unclear, but it may have made Ancelotti's decision easier knowing that a player widely expected to compete for a starting spot at the tournament would not be available.
The ESPN report indicates that Estêvão had no idea his place was under threat and was "visibly devastated" upon learning the news earlier this month. He is not the only Brazilian sidelined by injury, however, with Real Madrid duo Rodrygo and Éder Militão also ruled out — though their absences came as less of a shock given the longer-term nature of their respective conditions.
'Brazil Don't Have Another Neymar'
Every nation competing at the 2026 World Cup must submit their final squad to FIFA by June 1. Even if Neymar misses that Brazil list, his tournament isn't necessarily over — players can still be replaced due to injury or illness up to 24 hours before a team's opening game. For Brazil, that would be the day before their match against Morocco on June 13.
Casemiro, who has lined up alongside Neymar for the Seleção since 2011, believes the world's most expensive player ever deserves a spot — though with one condition.
"My decision [would be] yes," Casemiro said as a guest on Rio Ferdinand Presents.
"But, Ney, you don't play every game. If he plays every game, it's not perfect for him. I think he comes, and if a game is close, 0–0 ... a special assist, a special goal, [he can] change the game [from the bench]. We don't have this [type of] player in this moment."