Brazil’s all-time leading goal-scorer really only is in the squad because of his “extraordinary history”, because he’s not done anything over the past three years, let alone the past three months, to warrant inclusion.
Indeed, since his last appearance for Brazil against Uruguay on October 18, 2023, Neymar has played just 45 games of professional football, and scored only 17 goals.
To put that in context, fellow forward Joao Pedro, who was controversially omitted from Brazil’s World Cup squad, bettered both of those tallies during the past season alone (20 goals in 50 appearances for Chelsea).
