Neymar admitted he felt nervous as he returned to play for Brazil after 981 days away from the national team.
The 34 year old came off the bench and played 21 minutes in Brazil’s 3-0 win over Scotland at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday. It was his first match for Brazil since October 17, 2023.
The forward said the moment meant a lot after spending a long time away from international football because of a serious knee injury.
“My heart’s racing, I’m really nervous… But happy! I’m proud – everything went well,”
Neymar missed Brazil’s first two World Cup matches because of a right calf injury. Despite that setback, he said he is now fully ready to help the team.
When asked if he was fully fit, Neymar replied:
“100%, 100%.”
The Brazil star last played for his country in October 2023 when he suffered an ACL injury in his left knee. The injury kept him out of action for almost three years.
After the final whistle, Neymar shared photos of himself crying on the pitch. He posted them on Instagram with a short message that read:
“REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE.”
The message came after British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton used the same words on social media following his first Grand Prix win for Ferrari in Barcelona earlier this month.
Neymar’s return gave Brazil another boost as they continued their strong start at the World Cup. The five time champions beat Scotland 3-0 to finish top of their group.
For Neymar, however, the biggest victory was simply wearing the Brazil shirt once again.
