Once compared to the likes of Pele, Neymar Jr, the most expensive player in the history of football, has risen from his ruins and made it back into the 2026 FIFA World Cup 26-man squad.
Filled with tears in a viral reel showing the moment coach Carlo Ancelotti announced his name, Neymar immediately shared the news with his physiotherapist. Why did a player who was once Brazil’s main man—someone who competed with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi—break down after making it to the squad? And why did he share the moment with his physiotherapist? There was a time when football seemed to serve the Prince of Joga Bonito, that is, Neymar, and the world stopped to see his magic. His story always felt like that of a boy destined to conquer the game. From the streets of Brazil to Santos FC, then to FC Barcelona, and eventually Paris Saint-Germain F.C.—where he became the most expensive player in the history of football—Neymar’s career was supposed to end with the sport bowing at his feet.
Somewhere along the way, the crown became heavy, the magic faded and football became difficult for Neymar. People slowly stopped talking about Neymar the footballer and started talking about Neymar the disappointment. Every rolled ankle became a joke. Every absence became proof that he had wasted his talent. For years, the conversation around one of the most gifted players of his generation stopped being about joy and started becoming about failure. Maybe that is why this story feels so beautiful now—because football hardly offers redemption and even when it does, it doesn’t usually look glamorous.
