For the first time in almost three years, Neymar is again called up for a Brazilian team match, under the command of Carlo Ancelotti. The star returns to the pitch with an impressive record: he has accumulated more goals wearing the yellow shirt than the sum of all the other 25 players called up for this same squad.
With his career with the national team starting in August 2010, the striker, who currently plays for Santos, reached the mark of 79 goals in 128 matches. On the other hand, the other athletes present in the United States collectively scored 77 goals, distributed among 17 names. Among those who have not yet found the net are Fabinho, Douglas Santos, Ibañez, Léo Pereira, Éderson and the three goalkeepers: Alisson, Ederson and Weverton.
This numerical superiority is even more remarkable considering that Neymar has been away from the national team since October 2023, when he suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the meniscus in his left knee. His last goal for the national team was recorded almost four years ago, in December 2022, during the elimination to Croatia at the World Cup in Qatar. Maintaining such a record, even after such a prolonged absence and a serious injury, highlights the player’s historical importance and the gap that his absence often represents for the team’s offensive dynamics.
The player who comes closest to the number 10’s goalscoring performance is Lucas Paquetá, who has 13 goals in 65 matches for the main team. Raphinha and Vinicius Jr. share third place with 11 goals each; however, the Real Madrid striker, currently in excellent form, could surpass his Barcelona counterpart, who was injured during the clash with Haiti.
It is important to highlight that Neymar remains the main scorer of the Brazilian team when only goals in official duels are considered, totaling 79. This mark puts him two goals ahead of King Pelé, who, in turn, leads the general ranking with 95 goals, if matches against teams and clubs are included, common clashes until the mid-1980s.
Despite his return, there is no certainty about the star’s participation in the game against Scotland. He resumed training without limitations last Sunday (21), having carried out few activity sessions before being included in the list by Ancelotti. The current expectation is that the player will remain on the bench, only being used if the intention is to provide him with a few minutes of play at the end of the match.
The technical committee and the medical department are working to prepare Neymar so that he can perform to his full potential starting in the knockout stages of the tournament. This careful planning reflects a career and injury management strategy, aiming to optimize the athlete’s performance in crucial moments of the competition, avoiding the risk of a hasty return.
Line athletes and their number of goals for the Brazilian team
- Neymar: 79 goals in 128 games
- Paquetá: 13 goals in 65 games
- Raphinha: 11 goals in 41 games
- Vini Jr.: 11 goals in 51 games
- Casemiro: 9 goals in 88 games
- Marquinhos: 7 goals in 107 games
- Endrick: 4 goals in 18 games
- Martinelli: 4 goals in 24 games
- Matheus Cunha: 3 goals in 25 games
- Bruno Guimarães: 3 goals in 45 games
- Igor Thiago: 2 goals in 5 games
- Danilo Santos: 2 goals in 6 games
- Luiz Henrique: 2 goals in 16 games
- Alex Sandro: 2 goals in 45 games
- Rayan: 1 goal in 3 games
- Bremer: 1 goal in 8 games
- Gabriel Magalhães: 1 goal in 19 games
- Danilo: 1 goal in 72 games
- Fabinho: 0 goals in 34 games
- Douglas Santos: 0 goals in 9 games
- Ibañez: 0 goals in 8 games
- Léo Pereira: 0 goals in 4 games
- Éderson: 0 goals in 4 games
How to follow the match between Brazil and Scotland
The clash between Brazil and Scotland, scheduled for this Wednesday (24), starting at 7pm (Brasília time), will be broadcast live on CazéTV, accessible for free on Disney+.
Details about the Brazilian team’s next commitment
The team will face Scotland on June 24th, at 7pm (Brasília time), in a duel valid for the World Cup.