RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil have recalled Santos forward Neymar for this month’s World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina after more than a year, the football federation announced on Thursday.

The 33-year-old sustained a knee injury in Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023 and has struggled to get back to his best and secure a spot in the squad.

After a disappointing spell at Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, Neymar returned to his boyhood club Santos in January, scoring three goals and providing three assists in seven matches which has caught the eye of Brazil coach Dorival Junior.

Asked how much game time Neymar would be given in the World Cup qualifiers, Dorival told reporters: “It’s a situation to be analysed. He’s already played 90 minutes in two matches for Santos.

“In some of those games, he was substituted in the final moments. (His minutes in the games) will decide the spell he’s going to have now, the way he’s going to perform here. We’ll analyse how he’s doing.”

Neymar has 128 caps and a record 79 goals for his country, surpassing Pele’s tally of 77.

He was part of Brazil’s gold medal-winning squad at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and also helped them finish runners-up to Argentina at the 2021 Copa America.

Brazil, who are fifth in the CONMEBOL table with 18 points from 12 games, host Colombia on March 21 and visit Argentina five days later in a match that could see Neymar come up against former Barcelona and Paris St Germain teammate Lionel Messi.

The top six teams qualify directly for the World Cup.

“We’re going to prepare in the best possible way to face these opponents,” Dorival said.

“I have no doubt that these will be two great games, with teams that are in the top positions in the competition. We have enough quality to go for great results.

“We’re very close to a breakthrough, and there’s a lot of confidence that this will happen. Everything will happen, we just have to be patient.”

Squad: Goalkeepers: Alisson, Bento, Ederson; Defenders: Danilo, Guilherme Arana, Wesley Franca, Vanderson, Gabriel Magalhaes, Marquinhos, Leo Ortiz, Murillo; Midfielders: Andre, Bruno Guimaraes, Gerson, Matheus Cunha, Neymar, Joelinton; Forwards: Estevao, Joao Pedro, Raphinha, Rodrygo, Savinho, Vinicius Jr.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2025