Could Neymar play in one last World Cup? The inside track from Brazil

Few players are disrespected in world football more than Neymar. The Brazilian has always divided opinion, and whilst its undeniable he didn't achieve his enormous potential, he should still go down as one of the greatest players to play the beautiful game. Across his club career, he has scored 377 goals and provided 232 assists in 632 games or Santos, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Al-Hilal, and is Brazil's all-time leading goalscorer with 79 goals.

His career in recent years has took a turn for the worse with repeated injuries and a lack of aptitude hindering his twilight years. It looked like we had seen the last of Neymar at football's top table, but could he get one last swan song in North America this summer? After an upturn in form for Brazilian side Santos, Neymar has been included in Carlo Ancelotti's preliminary 55-man squad for the World Cup. But could he actually make it on the plane? With expert insight from Brazil, we bring you the inside track.

How has Neymar performed this season?

Thiago Rabelo is one of the most respected football journalists in Brazil and is part of Transfermarkt's team in South America and tells us more about Neymar's recent performances. "Neymar has had a season of ups and downs," Rabelo explains. "His statistics compare favourably with other players, but when measured against his own past performances, they are somewhat disappointing. Neymar has produced some masterful displays, but he lacks consistency and intensity in matches." Neymar has six goals and three assists in 13 games for Santos this season.

Could Neymar go to the World Cup?

"A survey conducted by Datalha showed that more than half of Brazilians want Neymar to play in the World Cup," reveals Rabelo. "He is undoubtedly the most controversial figure on Ancelotti’s list. Neymar’s inclusion in Ancelotti’s final squad remains a mystery. Before Rodrygo and Estêvão’s injuries, his chances were small, but with both those players out, the superstar could well be back in Ancelotti’s plans. Neymar isn’t competing with anyone else for a World Cup call-up. He competes only against himself."

"I personally think that Neymar deserves more respect internationally. Apart from Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, he is the most talented player the world has seen in the last two decades. Neymar, for example, has a club career with far better statistics than Ronaldinho. I put Neymar in the same category as Ronaldo, Romário and Ronaldinho. He is one of the greats I have seen play. It’s a shame he’s suffered so much from injuries at crucial moments of the season and even during the World Cup. Neymar was injured in 2014, 2018 and 2022. Had he been fit, Brazil would have avoided that humiliating defeat to Germany and might have fared better in other World Cup tournaments."

Brazil will reveal their final squad next week. They will play pre-World Cup friendlies against Panama and Egypt before taking on Morocco, Haiti and Scotland in the group stages in the USA. No nation has won more World Cups than Brazil (5), but the South American nation haven't had their hands on the famous trophy since 2002. Could Neymar provide the stardust to finally get them back to glory and resurrect his own name in the game in the process? Time will tell.