Neymar, Brazil's all-time top scorer, said he wants to play in the 2026 World Cup despite missing international matches for more than 13 months due to injury.
The 32-year-old broke Pele's record by scoring 78 of his 79 international goals during Brazil's World Cup qualifier against Bolivia in September 2023, but ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament against Uruguay the following month.
“The World Cup is the goal of all players,” Neymar said RMC. “I have already played three times (in the finals), and I want to participate in the fourth.
“I have to focus on that, prepare well here (at Al Hilal) and have that goal in the medium term after regaining my fitness at my club.”
Rodigo helps Neymar break Pele's record in Brazilian history
Santos history 🤍 pic.twitter.com/dRWHMhONvE
– ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) September 9, 2023
Neymar returns to injury
In the short term, Neymar's return plans were thwarted by the injury he suffered in his brief second appearance after returning to the Saudi Professional League team.
Neymar was introduced as a second-half substitute in Al Hilal's 3-0 win over Iranian rival Esteghlal in the AFC Champions League last month, and lasted less than 30 minutes before withdrawing.
Although Neymar described the injury as “hopefully not too much”, he has yet to add to his seven appearances for the club, which paid a fee of more than £71m to sign him from Paris Saint-Germain in August 2023.
Al Hilal coach Jorge Jesus said at the time: “Unfortunately, the injury is not simple.” He added: “He seems to be suffering from muscle pain and not a knee problem.”
🔹 Neymar is undergoing tests pic.twitter.com/Gt7T4GxvKh
– Al Hilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_EN) November 6, 2024
Neymar's contract with Al Hilal
There has been speculation in Saudi Arabia that Al Hilal will not re-sign Neymar for the second half of the Premier League season.
He was not named in the squad for the first half of the season due to his injury, but is allowed to play in international competitions.
Brazil national team: Neymar's return?
Brazil does not suffer from a lack of attacking options, as it can rely on the Real Madrid trio of Vinicius Junior, Rodrigo, Andric, and Barcelona's Rafinha.
After missing two matches at the 2022 World Cup due to an ankle injury, Neymar scored two goals and one assist, but was part of the team that was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Croatia.
The result ensured that he never played beyond the quarter-finals of the tournament, where he was ever-present and contributed two goals and two assists before Brazil were eliminated from that stage by Belgium in 2018.
In his first World Cup appearance in 2014, Neymar finished with four goals and one assist in five matches, but missed Brazil's 7-1 semi-final loss to Germany and their 3-0 third-place loss to the Netherlands due to injury.
