Neymar
Santos names Neymar starter against Inter
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Santos announced the lineup with Neymar as a starter for the match against Internacional in the 7th round of the Brasileirão on Wednesday (18/3) at Vila Belmiro. The 34-year-old player was not called up by coach Carlo Ancelotti for the Brazil national team, announced on Monday (16), but reacted with brief sadness and a focus on work. Ancelotti justified the absence due to Neymar not being 100% physically.
Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti defended his decision to omit Neymar from the latest national team squad, saying he respects everyone's opinion. The move has drawn sharp criticism from former Brazil strikers Romario and Ronaldo, who argue the 34-year-old's talent is too valuable to waste ahead of the World Cup. Ancelotti cited fitness concerns for leaving out the country's record goalscorer.
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In a Folha de S.Paulo column on March 20, 2026, a reporter counters criticism and advocates for including Santos' 34-year-old Neymar in Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad. The piece emphasizes the player's symbolic value alongside career stats like over 450 goals.
Neymar returned to play for Santos after 48 days out with a thigh injury and helped secure a 1-1 draw against Fortaleza in the 31st round of the Brazilian Championship. He came on in the second half, contributed to the equalizer, and took a dangerous free kick in added time. The result placed Santos 16th with 33 points.
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Neymar took a key step in his recovery by starting physical transition at Santos on Tuesday (October 28). The player, injured since September, trained with a ball for the first time since the muscle issue. However, he is likely to miss the Saturday game against Fortaleza.