Neymar ended a 981-day absence from international football with an emotional substitute appearance against Scotland, becoming one of a select few players to feature in four consecutive World Cups.
🥲🇧🇷 Neymar Jr was in tears after playing his first match since 2023 for Brazil. ❤️🩹 pic.twitter.com/O89UhuycaY
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) June 25, 2026
NEYMAR’S RETURN — 981 DAYS IN THE MAKING
The moment finally arrived — and it brought Neymar to tears.
After 981 days away from international football, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer returned to the World Cup stage against Scotland, coming off the bench in the 76th minute to a thunderous standing ovation, per reports.
Carlo Ancelotti had confirmed the cameo beforehand, but nothing prepared the crowd for the emotion of the moment.
At the final whistle, cameras caught Neymar — 79 international goals, 129 caps, four World Cups — wiping away tears. Minutes later, he was smiling through them as his wife and daughter joined him on the sidelines.
Brief? Yes. Unforgettable? Absolutely.
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