It can be difficult to watch a soccer player, especially one with such generational talent as Neymar, struggle to stay on the pitch, and his latest injury is more bad news for fans of the sport who love to see the best players compete. Brazil’s captain is set to miss another four to six weeks just days after returning to action. The 32-year-old sustained a hamstring injury during Al-Hilal’s 3-0 win over Iran’s Esteghlal at the AFC Championship game in his second game since returning to action after 12 months on the sideline.
Neymar will, no doubt, go down as one of the best players of this generation. He is arguably in the top three behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. But his lack of playing time due to injury has proven to be his Kryptonite and could impact his overall legacy when it’s all said and done.
14 years after making his national team debut, Neymar’s legacy with Brazil remains up in the air. Brazil’s captain has failed to surpass the expectations that were set before him when he was just a young 18-year-old talent playing for Santos, and one could largely attribute this to his injury woes. He was lauded by many as the heir to the throne of the great Pelé, who inspired the Selecao to three of its five World Cup trophies, but he has so far paled in comparison.
Neymar has had a fantastic career for Brazil, no doubt. If soccer were solely based on individual statistics, Brazil’s captain would be up there among the greatest to ever do it. He is the soccer nation’s top goalscorer in all competitions, a feat even the greats that have come before him could only dream of.
He passes the eye test as Brazil’s most talented player in decades, and one could argue of all time. When fit, he is one of the most fun to watch players in the world, and nothing can take that away from him.
But the stain on his legacy remains his trophy cabinet. In his 14-year stint with the national team, Neymar only has one trophy to boast of; a FIFA Confederations Cup title in 2013. He was the star of the show in that tournament and deservedly earned the Golden Ball award after an impressive showing. Neymar also led the Brazil men’s national team to its first-ever Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics held on home soil.
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While winning both honors is great, they are not weighty enough to earn you a seat at the table of elite soccer legends, especially when you play for a country like Brazil. Pelé, Romario, Zico, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho all have World Cup trophies, and if Neymar wants to go down as the greatest, he’ll have to win one for his country.
The former Barcelona man has been in and out of Brazil’s squad, missing key games due to his health. Neymar suffered a major injury against Colombia in the 2014 World Cup quarter-final that dented Brazil’s chances of winning their first World Championship since 2002. While the Seleção had done enough to qualify, Neymar did not feature in his side’s famous 1-7 loss to Germany in the semi-final. You could argue that Brazil stood a chance against the Germans with their star man on the pitch.
While Brazil did not look like their best at the 2015 Copa America, a fully fit Neymar spelled doom for opposing teams, and was enough to help Brazil go all the way. But an unsportsmanlike behavior in Brazil’s group game against Colombia saw him sent off and banned for four games. Although the Selecao were able to make it into the knockout rounds without Neymar, they looked unconvincing throughout the tournament and eventually bowed to Paraguay in the quarterfinal.
Neymar missed the special one-off Copa America in 2016, opting to play in the Olympics instead after former club FC Barcelona and Brazil agreed to let him play in only one international tournament. Brazil failed to make it out of the group stage, while Neymar clinched a Gold Medal for his country.
He also missed his side’s Copa America triumph in 2019 due to injury, a trophy that could have strengthened his position as an all-time great for Brazil had he been part of the squad. A healthy Neymar led Brazil to the Copa America final in 2021, but a narrow loss to Messi’s Argentina meant he had to wait another year for a shot at international glory.
That year was meant to be 2022. Brazil was favored by many sportsbooks to clinch their first World Cup trophy in 20 years (and sixth overall) in Qatar. But another injury in the group game against Serbia limited his contributions and could have contributed to Brazil’s surprise exit at the hands of Croatia in the quarter-final. Despite being the best player on the pitch, he was obviously not fully fit in the matchup.
Several injuries continued to keep Neymar out of action for club and country, and it was only a matter of time before he suffered his most lengthened spell in October 2023 after tearing his ACL against Uruguay. The Al-Hilal forward missed out on the 2024 Copa America, another potential international trophy. Brazil looked like a shadow of themselves without Neymar and was knocked out in the quarter-final.
Neymar’s latest injury comes as a huge blow for the Brazil national team, who currently find themselves in a competitive battle for World Cup qualification. Brazil currently has the third-best 2026 World Cup qualifying odds among South American teams, despite not having their star player. Those interested in placing bets can find helpful betting tips and guidelines on this website, including the latest sports betting news and updates.
In the meantime, the former PSG forward is set to return in December, which means he will miss all of Brazil’s remaining fixtures for the year, a scenario that could potentially impact Brazil’s chances yet again. One thing is certain, with Neymar on the pitch, Brazil is one of the best teams in the world but when he’s not playing, they don’t look like the team to beat.
While he cannot be blamed for his injuries, his continued absence and lack of international trophies could ultimately affect how people see him in years to come. At 32 years old, he still has a lot of soccer left in him and could potentially swing the pendulum in his favor at the 2026 World Cup in North America. But he has to stay fit to win the big prize and cement his legacy.
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