Brazilian striker ‘wants to play in 2026 World Cup’ after ‘getting fit’ at Al Hilal

Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer Neymar has said he wants to play at the 2026 World Cup despite an injury absence of more than 13 months from international action.

The 32-year-old broke Pele’s record by scoring the 78th of his 79 international goals during Brazil’s qualifier against Bolivia in September 2023, but tore his anterior cruciate ligament against Uruguay the following month.

“The World Cup is the goal of every player,” Neymar said RMC. “I have already played three times (in the final), and I want to do a fourth.

“I have to be focused on that, prepare well here (at Al-Hilal club) and have that medium-term goal after I get fit again at my club.”

Rodygo helps Neymar break Pelé’s goalscoring record in Brazil 🥺🇧🇷

History of Santos 🤍 pic.twitter.com/dRWHMhONvE

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) September 9, 2023

Comeback from Neymar’s injury

In the short term, Neymar’s comeback plans have been scuppered by an injury he picked up in a brief second appearance after his comeback with the Saudi Pro League side.

Neymar was introduced as a second-half substitute in Al-Hilal’s 3-0 win over Iranian rivals Esteghlal in the AFC Elite Champions League last month, lasting less than 30 minutes before stopping.

Although Neymar described the injury as “hopefully not too much”, he is yet to add to his seven games for the club who paid a fee of more than £71m to sign him from Paris Saint-Germain in August 2023.

“Unfortunately, it’s not a simple injury,” Al-Hilal coach Jorge Jesus said at the time. “It looks like he’s suffering from muscle pain and it’s not a knee problem.”

🔹 Neymar undergoes scans pic.twitter.com/Gt7T4GxvKh

— AlHilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_EN) November 6, 2024

Neymar’s contract with Al Hilal

There has been speculation in Saudi Arabia that Al-Hilal will not re-sign Neymar for the second half of their top-flight season.

He was not named in their squad for the first half of the campaign due to his injury, but is cleared to play in international competitions.

Brazil selection: Will Neymar return?

Brazil has no shortage of attacking options, with Real Madrid’s trio of Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Endrick and Barcelona’s Raphinha.

After missing two games at the 2022 World Cup with an ankle injury, Neymar scored two goals and provided an assist but was part of a side knocked out by Croatia in the quarter-finals.

The result ensured he never played beyond the last 16 of the tournament, having featured and contributed two goals and two assists before Brazil were knocked out at that stage by Belgium in 2018.

In his first World Cup in 2014, Neymar finished with four goals and one assist in five games, but missed Brazil’s 7-1 semi-final defeat by Germany and the third-placed team’s 3-0 defeat against the Netherlands for injury.