Almost three years. 980 days. An eternity for someone who lives for football. So Brazil’s 3-0 win over Scotland, also marked by a brace from a rampant Vinicius, almost took a back seat. Because the real news of the night wore the number 10 on his back. And had tears in his eyes. Neymar is back.
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The Seleção captain wore the famous yellow shirt again 980 days after his last appearance, which came on October 18, 2023. The last image dated back to the match against Uruguay in the World Cup qualifiers: a devastating injury, substituted at half-time, and the diagnosis that would change everything — a torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee.
The return also coincides with the start of a new chapter. With Carlo Ancelotti on the bench, the match against Scotland was Neymar’s first appearance in the Italian coach’s era. The former Real Madrid manager had preferred to wait, without rushing things. And yet his return carried special meaning.
🇧🇷 O’Ney makes Brazil history alongside Cafu and Pelé
Yesterday marked appearance number 129 for the Seleção for Brazil’s all-time top scorer, who stands on 79 goals. Numbers that tell the story of an extraordinary career and could still grow at this World Cup, the fourth of his career after Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, and Qatar 2022. A milestone that puts him alongside three absolute legends like Djalma Santos, Pelé, and Cafu, the only other Brazilians to have played in four editions of the World Cup.
It’s not just the numbers that confirm Neymar as a legend of the Brazilian national team — there’s also the love of the fans. Right at the start of the World Cup, O’Ney had already been hailed by the entire stadium loudly chanting his name. Last night, the scene played out again. But with a better ending, because Brazil’s number 10 finally returned to the pitch.
🥹 Emotion and tears after the match
At full-time the joy was obvious, and O’Ney could not hold back the tears: “I’m truly very happy. We played a great match. I have to thank all Brazilians for their kindness and support,” he said after the win over Scotland.
At the end of the match, there was also an embrace with his whole family. A visibly emotional Neymar greeted his children and wife, who had come to support him at such an important moment. There were also words from his friend and teammate Vinicius Jr, who scored twice last night: “It was magical to see him come back. He’s our idol, for all of us.”
Then, a few hours later, came the symbolic image of his night. A tearful photo posted on social media and a simple but incredibly powerful phrase: “Remember who you are.” Words signed by his friend Lewis Hamilton, who had used them a few weeks earlier to celebrate his historic first win with Ferrari in Barcelona, adding a meaningful “Always.”
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A message that seems to perfectly capture the meaning of Neymar’s night. Because after almost three years away from the Seleção, the number 10 is back. And with him, a piece of Brazil’s soul has returned too.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.
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