Neymar's Return Boosts Brazil Ahead of Scotland Clash
Neymar hasn’t kicked a ball at this World Cup yet, but he’s already changed the mood in Brazil’s camp.
Left out of the matchday squads for the 1-1 draw with Morocco and the 3-0 win over Haiti, the No. 10 has been restricted to training-ground cameos. Even so, every touch in those sessions has felt like a small announcement: Brazil’s talisman is edging back.
Lucas Paqueta, the voice wheeled out before Scotland in Miami, made it clear how much that matters.
“We’re all very happy to see him training and back on the pitch with us. Neymar is a very important player for the Brazilian national team,” he told reporters on Sunday. “He has an extraordinary history with this shirt and he can still help us a lot. We're glad he's back and we hope he'll be available as soon as possible to contribute to the team.”
For a squad chasing top spot in Group C and still searching for rhythm, that hope is no small thing. If Neymar is passed fit, his first competitive appearance for Brazil since 2023 would arrive with knockout football looming into view.
Neymar lifts the mood, Raphinha clouds the picture
The optimism around Neymar is tempered by a harsh reality on the opposite flank. Raphinha, the Barcelona winger who stretches defences and gives Brazil width and direct running, is out with a hamstring injury.
His absence has already taken a bite out of the Selecao’s attacking fluidity. The timeline for his return is unclear, and inside the camp they know they might have to learn to live without him for the rest of the tournament.
“Right now he has the support of the whole group. We're by his side and we'll do everything we can to help him during his recovery,” Paqueta said. “He's a guy who works really hard and I'm sure he'll do everything possible to come back as soon as he can. As for his importance, there's not much more to add. He's coming off some extraordinary seasons and has grown a lot with the national team as well.”
One superstar edging closer, another key starter stuck in rehab. It’s the kind of balance that often defines a World Cup campaign.
No room for comfort at the top of Group C
On paper, Brazil are where they expect to be: top of Group C with four points. In reality, nothing is secure.
Morocco are level on points and face already eliminated Haiti in the group’s other game. If Brazil slip, the North Africans are waiting to pounce. Victory in Miami is the only way to be certain of staying in control.
The opponent is Scotland, a team that has never reached the knockout stages of a World Cup and is desperate to rewrite its own history. A positive result against the five-time world champions would likely be enough to send Steve Clarke’s side through.
Paqueta is not treating this as a formality.
“All the teams at the World Cup deserve respect. You have to study them and prepare as best as possible to face them,” the former West Ham midfielder said. “We have great respect for Scotland, but we also know we need to play our game and follow what the coach asks of us. Regardless of the opponent, our goal in every match is to win.”
Respect, yes. Fear, no. That is the line Brazil are trying to walk.
Fine-tuning before the real tests begin
Two games in, Brazil have shown flashes rather than full control. A laboured draw with Morocco, a more convincing win over Haiti, but still the sense that this team has another gear.
Inside the camp, the message is clear: use Scotland to sharpen everything. The pressing, the combinations, the defensive concentration. With the knockout rounds approaching, there is no time left for gentle experimentation.
Neymar’s presence on the grass hints at a familiar script. Brazil, with their iconic No. 10 restored, pushing into the business end of a World Cup. The only question now is whether his body, and this evolving team around him, can turn that image into reality.
