Stars Cup: Neymar takes Pelé’s 10th and challenges history of difficult farewells in the Brazilian team
While big names in world football such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and even Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41, shine in their respective performances in the United States, Brazil eagerly awaits the debut of its main player and number 10 in the World Cup.
The expectation is that the awaited moment will be this Wednesday (24), with Neymar available to coach Carlo Ancelotti after training without restrictions since last Monday (22), indicating his possible entry onto the field against Scotland, at the Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami, even if for a few minutes.
The technical committee, however, debates the ideal use of the star, prioritizing his integrity for the knockout stage and avoiding risks. However, if he steps onto the pitch, he will begin his journey in search of a memorable “last dance” in the green and yellow shirt.
Neymar’s trajectory in World Cups, so far, has recorded eight goals in 13 games, covering the 2014, 2018 and 2022 editions. This performance places him at a prominent level among the athletes who have already worn the national team’s number 10 shirt in the tournament.
Only Pelé wore the iconic number 10 shirt in four World Cups before Neymar. The King won the third championship in 1958, 1962 and 1970, in addition to participating in the 1966 edition, scoring 12 goals in 14 matches. Rivaldo, the last number 10 to be champion for Brazil, reached this milestone in 2002.
A single appearance on the field is enough for Neymar to equal the two legends in the number of games played and, thus, guarantee his fourth World Cup with the most emblematic shirt in world football, surpassing even icons such as Rivellino, Zico, Ronaldinho Gaúcho and Kaká.
With more performances, Neymar will also climb another historic ranking of the Brazilian National Team: participation in World Cups. Cafu remains isolated in the lead with 20 matches, followed closely by Ronaldo, the Phenomenon, with 19, and by Dunga and Taffarel.
The team’s current record holder, Neymar, needs just two games to match big names like Bebeto, Didi, Nilton Santos, Rivellino and Thiago Silva, all with 15 games. If Brazil reaches the final and he plays in all the matches, he will overcome even more big names.
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Neymar’s presence on Carlo Ancelotti’s squad list offers the Santos striker the opportunity to break a historic pattern for the Seleção, which has often seen its greatest stars saying goodbye early to the main stage of world football.
Great figures like Pelé and Ronaldo, for example, said goodbye to the World Cup at the age of 29. Romário and Kaká had their “last dance” at the age of 28, and Ronaldinho Gaúcho, even younger, at 26. Several factors, including physical problems and retirement, led these idols to prematurely end their World Cup stories.
Zico was one of the few to try to prolong his journey, being called up by Telê Santana at the age of 33 for the 1986 World Cup, even after a serious injury suffered by Flamengo in 1985. Galinho himself later admitted that he should not have played in that tournament, marked by the missed penalty in the quarter-finals against France.
Neymar, at 34, arrives at the World Cup older than most of these stars in recent editions, which adds an extra layer of challenge. Far from his technical peak during his time at Barcelona or Paris Saint-Germain, his quest for the unprecedented title is even more arduous, considering that most of his predecessors faced their farewells in a phase of less physical exhaustion.
Injuries, unfortunately, compromised a more robust preparation. Since the 2022 World Cup, Neymar has suffered nine different injuries, affecting the ankle, thigh, knee and calf – the latter, the same one that has haunted him since his presentation at Granja Comary, on May 27.
Despite the countless physical challenges, the history of sport shows that it is often by overcoming difficulties that great stars find the way to end their careers in glorious fashion. Neymar, who has tried everything in football, now aims for the only trophy he hasn’t yet won and that makes him daydream.
Where to watch the clash between Scotland and Brazil?
The match between Scotland and Brazil, valid for the World Cup, will be broadcast live on CazéTV, available at no additional cost on the Disney+ platform, this Wednesday (24), at 7pm (Brasília time).
