Scotland-Brazil: Fans captivated, dusty but willing... What to take away from Neymar's return with the Seleção

Neymar Jr. made his long-awaited return to the Brazilian national team, featuring in their World Cup victory over Scotland. The match, held in Miami, marked his first appearance for the Seleção in nearly three years, following a series of injuries. The 34-year-old forward, who had been sidelined since mid-May with a calf injury and later suffered a severe knee injury, was a surprise inclusion in coach Carlo Ancelotti's squad. After missing the team's initial two World Cup games, Neymar entered the field in the 76th minute, replacing Matheus Cunha. His appearance was met with a significant roar from the crowd, highlighting his enduring popularity among Brazilian fans. Vinicius Jr. scored twice, and Cunha added another goal in Brazil's dominant 3-0 win, which secured their first-place finish in Group C with seven points, ahead of Morocco on goal difference. Neymar's return comes after a difficult period marked by injuries and a less-than-stellar stint with Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, where he scored one goal in seven matches before returning to his boyhood club Santos in January 2025. Although his initial moments on the field showed signs of rust, including a hesitant dribble and a timid counter-press, his willingness to engage was evident. He successfully provoked a yellow card from Scotland's Ryan Christie with his technical skill. The score was already 3-0 when Neymar came on, and coach Ancelotti made several other substitutions, including bringing on former Lyon player Endrick.

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The end of the tunnel. Nearly three years after his last match for the Seleção, Neymar Jr. participated in Brazil's victory over Scotland.