Neymar stays Brazil’s largest winner and reaching the World Cup finals may “silence” his critics.
So believes former Selecao World Cup-winning striker Ronaldo Nazario forward of Carlo Ancelotti’s aspect taking up Japan within the Spherical of 32 on Monday.
Neymar’s call-up to Brazil’s squad for this 12 months’s event got here as a little bit of a shock, almost three years after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament whereas on worldwide obligation.
Nevertheless, the 34-year-old, who’s his nation’s all-time prime scorer with 79 targets, suffered a hamstring harm within the build-up to the event and missed the primary two matches.
He got here on as an alternative choice to the ultimate 14 minutes of the 3-0 win over Scotland, turning into the fourth participant to characterize Brazil in 4 World Cups, following Djalma Santos, Cafu and Pele.
His cameo got here 981 days after his final tour to Brazil and was the primary time he had come off the bench in 14 World Cup video games to this point.
Vinicius Junior has emerged as Brazil’s talisman on this event, scoring 4 targets to maneuver into rivalry for the Golden Boot, however Ronaldo, who was prime scorer within the profitable 2002 season, nonetheless expects Neymar to have the say.
“Neymar is decisive,” Ronaldo informed L’Equipe. “Neymar is decisive. There is no such thing as a participant within the present staff who has the identical capacity to win video games as he does.”
“So if we will belief him, we will not let this chance go us by. He is been checked by medical doctors, he is regained his energy, and now we have now an opportunity to silence those that did not consider in him.”
“I additionally skilled what occurred when he returned to the pitch in 2002, so I’ll give my full help to Neymar. I’m excited and rooting for him.
“At 34 years previous, he now not must show his expertise, however I hope his efficiency will silence those that underestimated him, as a result of there’s nothing like seeing an ideal athlete make a triumphant return.”
And so the story of the world’s greatest staff on the 2026 World Cup continues. Towards the ultimate stage! pic.twitter.com/OdxUjyaOUi
— Brazil (@CBF_Futebol) June 25, 2026
The Opta supercomputer estimates Brazil’s probabilities of profitable a file sixth World Cup at 6.7%, making them fifth favorites to win it after France (17.9%), Argentina (17.1%), Spain (13.4%) and England (10%).
Nevertheless, when requested who he thought Brazil’s most important rivals have been, Ronaldo ignored Thomas Tuchel’s gamers and as a substitute insisted Germany (with a 4.2% likelihood) may take pleasure in a battle for the highest spot.
“France, Spain and Argentina play superb soccer. They’re very aggressive and Germany is all the time harmful,” he mentioned. “They’re Brazil’s largest rivals for trophies.”
Brazil has misplaced 4 of their final six World Cup finals matches, greater than of their final 17 matches (three) mixed.
Nevertheless, they haven’t been eradicated within the first spherical of the World Cup since shedding 1-0 to Argentina within the final 16 in 1990.
