Brazil host Colombia at the Mane Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia in one key match for their future in the 2026 World Cup Qualifying. As Brazil have struggled in their last matches, many fans were expecting to watch Neymar’s anticipated return to the national team. However, the Santos star won’t be part of the squad for this international window.
While he was initially called up by coach Dorival Junior to join the team, Neymar was then ruled out at the last minute due to a muscle discomfort. The 33-year-old forward felt the injury prior to the Paulista Championship semifinal between Santos and Corinthians, which he eventually missed.
“It seemed like the return was close, but unfortunately, I will not be able to wear the heaviest jersey in the world right now,” Neymar wrote in a message to his fans on his official Instagram account.
The former Barcelona star explained that the decision was made in collaboration with the national team’s medical staff, as well as with Brazil’s coach. “We had long conversations, and everyone knows how much I wanted to return, but we reached a consensus and decided not to risk it,” he said.
However, he ended the message with an optimistic tone, saying he would use the international break to “better prepare and fully recover from the injury.” Loyal to his word, today, ahead of Brazil’s match against Colombia, Neymar posted an Instagram story in which he is seen training to recover. He hasn’t played with Brazil since October 2023, when he tore his ACL during a match against Uruguay.
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Brazil vs Colombia: Lineups for Matchday 13 of South American 2026 World Cup Qualifiers
Brazil’s Conmebol World Cup Qualifiers status
Brazil’s match against Colombia is a key clash for both teams, as they are only separated by one point on the standings. While Argentina lead the table with 25 points, followed by Uruguay with 20. Ecuador and Colombia have 19 points, with Brazil being fifth with 18 units.
After drawing their previous two matches, Brazil has a packed schedule with difficult challenges. After Colombia, they will travel to Buenos Aires to play against La Albiceleste. However, Lionel Messi, also suffering from muscular discomfort, won’t be playing.
Without Neymar, Brazil’s other stars have to step up their game. Barcelona winger Raphinha has scored four goals so far, being only two behind Messi, who leads the table with six. Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s Vinicius hasn’t scored any goals so far in the tournament.
