Neymar retreated to the dressing room alone after Brazil’s 3-0 win over Scotland in Miami on 24 June and wept. Nearly three years of injuries, setbacks and uncertainty had led to this moment, and when it finally arrived, the emotion was too much to contain.
“I went to the locker room, all alone, and I shed a few tears,” Neymar told reporters after Brazil sealed top spot in Group C. “It’s an immense relief to relive all this. It’s a moment of gratitude. I thank God for being able to experience this again.”
The 34-year-old had not played for Brazil since October 2023, when he suffered a serious knee injury during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay. A calf injury sustained in May then ruled him out of Brazil’s opening two matches at the tournament, leaving his participation in genuine doubt. He finally made his return as a second-half substitute against Scotland, entering to deafening chants of his name from a largely Brazilian crowd at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
It was his first appearance in a Brazil shirt across 981 days, and the weight of that absence was visible in every emotion that followed the final whistle.
“I had been away for a long time, so it’s a different team now,” Neymar said. “I see it with fresh eyes. But I’m very happy to have been able to come back and play in a World Cup and defend the Brazilian national team after so many years.”
Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 130 appearances, Neymar has now featured at four World Cups, contributing eight goals and four assists across tournaments since 2014. His role in this squad is a supporting one, with Vinicius Junior firmly established as the team’s talisman after scoring four goals in three group-stage matches. But Neymar’s presence carries a significance that goes beyond statistics.
Brazil advance to the round of 32, where they will face the runners-up of Group F in Houston on 29 June.
