Neymar Jr. is on the preliminary list of 55 players Brazil will send to FIFA on Monday, a formal step that puts the injured star back into the federation’s selection picture ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The list is large by design: Brazil will cut those 55 names down to a final World Cup squad of 26 players, meaning inclusion on Monday’s submission does not guarantee a place in the team that opens the tournament. Neymar has not played for Brazil since 2023, when he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in a World Cup qualifying match against Uruguay in Montevideo.
The numbers underline why his presence on the list matters. Neymar logged 12 matches in 2026 before this article was published, scoring five goals and providing three assists — a return that argues for his recovery and impact at club level. At the same time, the injury and the long absence from international matches remain central facts for the coaching staff weighing options for a 26-man roster built to chase Brazil’s sixth World Cup title.
That context frames a choice the federation must make quickly. Brazil opens Group C on Saturday, June 13, against Morocco in New Jersey, then faces Haiti on Friday, June 19, in Philadelphia and closes the group on Wednesday, June 24, against Scotland in Miami Gardens. Those fixtures compress decisions about fitness and tactics: a player returning after a long international layoff would be expected to contribute immediately in three high-stakes matches inside two weeks.
Tension around Neymar’s candidacy extends to his club situation. Santos sit 16th in the domestic league and are last in Group D of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana, results that complicate the narrative of a player ready to return at the highest level. Santos are set to face San Lorenzo de Almagro in the coming weeks, and the club’s recent turbulence has been documented in local reporting: Santos opens an internal probe after a training clash involving Neymar and Robinho Jr, and the club’s handling of match rotation has drawn scrutiny as well — Santos Fc held 2-2 by Bahia as Neymar is rested before San Lorenzo tie.
Public commentary has pushed in a different direction: former defenders and commentators have offered high praise for Neymar’s technical gifts and backed his bid for 2026, a view that has continued to surface in the debate over whether to include him among the final 26. That line of argument is part of the selection calculus but does not erase the practical questions about sharpness after a multi-year absence from Brazil’s national team sheet.
The clearest contradiction is raw and simple: Neymar has regained measurable productivity at club level in 2026, yet he has not been part of Brazil’s international plans since his 2023 knee injury. Coaches now must match medical clearance and club form against the reality of tournament football, where cohesion and current match rhythm matter as much as pedigree.
Choosing Neymar for the final 26 would be a calculated gamble. His five goals and three assists in 12 matches this year supply a case that he can still influence games; his 2023 ACL tear and the long international absence supply the counterargument that Brazil might need players with uninterrupted recent national-team experience. The federation’s submission to FIFA on Monday will not resolve the debate but will mark the start of the decisive week for a player whose selection will shape Brazil’s attack in New Jersey on June 13 and beyond.
