Neymar Substitution Error, World Cup Selection Battle

Brazilian forward Neymar has stirred controversy with his recent on-field behavior and comments as he seeks a return to the national squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The 34-year-old has not played for Brazil since October 2023 and faces a tight deadline to prove his fitness before the tournament squad submission.

Neymar, who plays for Santos in Brazil’s top tier, has had an injury-plagued career, spending months sidelined and missing crucial playing time.

Here is what is known about the latest incidents involving Neymar:

Neymar was mistakenly substituted during Santos’ Serie A match against Coritiba after match officials signaled the wrong player number.

The striker was incensed when the fourth official held up the substitution board with Neymar’s number 10, forcing him off the pitch in the 65th minute.

Robinho Jr replaced Neymar, who refused to leave the field and received a yellow card for his conduct.

Angered by the apparent error, Neymar had to be pulled off the pitch. He insisted teammate Gonzalo Escobar was the intended substitute.

The Santos captain then gestured at the official, snatched the substitution slip, and showed it to television cameras to prove Escobar’s name was on the paper instead of his own.

Santos lost the match 3-0 and sit near the relegation zone with 18 points from 16 games.

The club later confirmed the match official made an erroneous substitution.

“The fourth official got the substitution wrong,” Santos said in a post on X.

“This was confirmed by the television coverage and by the note used by the officials during the substitution. An inexplicable error that was not corrected.”

The iconic number 10’s place in the World Cup squad has dominated local media and fan discussion in recent weeks.

Neymar has spent the past few months trying to prove his fitness for the June 11 to July 19 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. He has scored six goals in 15 appearances for Santos since returning from knee surgery in February.

However, despite his comeback for his boyhood club, Neymar has been sidelined by muscle injuries and niggles.

Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals, two more than the legendary Pele, has publicly expressed his desire to return for the Selecao. The decision rests with head coach Carlo Ancelotti, who will lead Brazil at the World Cup and remain in charge until 2030.

Ancelotti has repeatedly said Neymar must prove his fitness to be considered for national team selection.

“When you have to choose, you have to consider many things,” Ancelotti told the Reuters news agency on Tuesday.

“Neymar is an important player for this country because of the talent he has always shown. But he has had problems and is working hard to recover. He has improved a lot recently and is playing regularly. It is obviously not such an easy decision for me. We have to weigh up the pros and cons carefully.”

Teammates have lobbied for Neymar’s inclusion, while supporters remain split between affection and anxiety over whether his body can still keep pace with his imagination.

“I know full well that Neymar is much loved, not only by the public but also by the players,” Ancelotti said.

“This is also a factor, because we have to consider the atmosphere that will surround Neymar’s call-up.”

Neymar said on Sunday he had to endure “nonsense” criticism as he worked his way back from serious injuries and is satisfied he has done all he can to prove he is fully fit and deserves a place in the squad.

“Physically, I feel great. I’ve been improving with every game,” Neymar said after the controversy-hit game for Santos.

“I’ve done my absolute best – it wasn’t easy. I’ll admit it wasn’t easy.

“It’s been years of hard work, and also of a lot of nonsense being said about my condition and what I was doing. It’s really sad the way people talk about it.

“I worked hard, quietly, at home, suffering because of what people were saying, and it all worked out.

“I’ve made it to where I wanted to be in one piece. I’m happy with my performance, with everything I’ve done so far … Whatever happens, Ancelotti will certainly call up the 26 best players for this battle.”

Even if fully fit, Neymar must also fit into Ancelotti’s plans for his World Cup squad.

Ancelotti says he wants four forwards who can run, press, and track back, a demanding template for a player who has struggled to string together sustained matches.

The Italian, however, said Neymar has shown signs of progress.

“He has improved his fitness a lot in recent matches,” Ancelotti said.

“He has played some very good matches lately. His fitness has improved. He can maintain a high intensity in a match. But there are matches and matches.”

Ancelotti said the decision to select Neymar would be his alone.

“I haven’t been pressured by anyone to call up Neymar. I have complete autonomy,” he said. “The decision will be 100% professional. I will only take into account how he is performing as a footballer. Nothing else.”

“Can I draw up a perfect squad? Impossible! But I can draw up a squad with fewer mistakes than others who might do so. Of that I am certain.”

Ancelotti is expected to name his preliminary squad on Monday. He can list up to 55 players, but the final squad, to be confirmed by June 1, will be trimmed to 26.