After ending a wait of 981 days to play for Brazil, Neymar said he was inspired by British Formula One race driver Lewis Hamilton.
On Wednesday (June 24), Neymar came on in the 76th minute of Brazil’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C game against Scotland in Miami Gardens, Florida, USA. At the time, the former champions were leading 3-0 and went on to clinch the game with the same scoreline.
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When Neymar, 34, got off the bench to start doing some warmup sprints and stretches along the sideline during the second half, fans in that area absolutely roared. The cheers got louder when he checked in, as well as when he made his first touch.
Before this game, Neymar’s last appearance for Brazil was on October 17, 2023, in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay, when he suffered an ACL tear in his left knee.
Neymar’s Instagram post
After the match, Neymar posted two pictures – crying on the pitch and blowing a kiss, on his Instagram handle, and wrote “REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE.” The post has so far garnered more than 8.4 million likes.
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The same “remember who you are” message was posted by seven-time F1 champion Hamilton on June 14 after he claimed his first Grand Prix win for Ferrari in Barcelona. This was after the British driver had gone through a tough first season with the team.
“My heart’s racing, I’m really nervous… But happy! I’m proud – everything went well,” Neymar told Globo TV.
“I’m very happy to be wearing the national team jersey again after three years,” he told Brazilian media, following an emotional embrace with his family before he left the field. “I feel fine physically. Obviously, it was tough being sidelined for all those days.”
Neymar thanks God
“It was a mix of emotions when I came on, because it had been a long time away from the national team,” he said. “Thank God everything went well and I was able to return.”
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Neymar said he’s ready for more going forward into the knockout phase of Round of 32. “I can play 200 minutes,” he said.
Neymar is Brazil’s leading goal scorer with 79 goals in 130 international appearances. He has appeared in each of the past three World Cups for Brazil, scoring eight goals.
Vinícius Júnior, who scored two goals for Brazil, said, “A very important moment for all of us. Our idol is back, a guy who always fought hard and did everything to be here, returning after a spell out with injury. I hope he can keep evolving and keep improving, helping us throughout the competition. That’s what matters most.”
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