Neymar Sheds Tears of Joy After Long-Awaited International Return

After 981 days of waiting, Brazilian star Neymar finally returned to action on the international stage and could not hold back his tears immediately after the match ended, as he helped secure a 3-0 victory over Scotland in Group C of the World Cup.

The 34-year-old striker was brought on in the 76th minute at Miami Stadium and received a thunderous ovation from Brazilian supporters, before the final whistle saw him visibly emotional on the pitch.

The emotional moment became even more meaningful when Neymar later broke into a smile after meeting his wife and children at the sidelines, transforming his sadness into a moment of pure joy.

Brazil sealed their victory as group winners thanks to two first-half goals from Vinicius Junior and an additional goal from Matheus Cunha in the second half.

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti said Neymar truly deserved the opportunity to play based on his preparation and commitment during training sessions.

“I think he really deserved to play. He trained well and was very serious. With the quality he possesses, he is able to help the team,” he said.

Vinicius also acknowledged that Neymar’s presence had a positive impact on the Brazilian squad.

“All the players performed well as a team. Neymar’s presence also brought many positive things to us,” he said.

Neymar had previously been sidelined for more than a month due to a calf injury, in addition to still being in the recovery process after the ACL injury he suffered in 2023.

The player now remains Brazil’s all-time top scorer with 79 goals in 129 international appearances and has featured in three previous editions of the World Cup.

Sinar Harian