Brazil's Undisputed Superstar? Neymar's World Cup Countdown Challenge
While Ousmane Dembele was crowned the 2025 Ballon d'Or in late September, Neymar was undergoing therapy for his third injury of the year - simultaneously participating in an virtual card tournament.
The veteran football star ultimately finished as runner-up, earning around £73,800 in prize money.
It was some consolation on a day when he had to watch the player who once replaced him at Barcelona claim the award he had consistently dreamed to win.
Since returning to his boyhood club Santos in January, the experienced attacker has fallen short of expectations, drawing more attention for comparable situations than for his on-field performances.
His homecoming after a dozen campaigns away was intended as a chance for him to regain his form and, crucially, restore a passion for the game that seemed lost after disappointing periods with Paris St-Germain and Al Hilal.
Conversely, it has been widely disappointing for everyone concerned.
Such is the situation that the key issue being asked right now in Brazil is whether Neymar will make it to the upcoming global tournament.
He's running out of time.
"All players have to prove that they are ready. The clock is ticking [for him]," Brazilian legend Tostao wrote in his newspaper column.
On Wednesday, Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti announced his team selection for the forthcoming matches against South Korea and the Asian nation and, yet again, Neymar was not in it.
"O Principe", as he was nicknamed when received at Santos in a nod toward the king Pele, is still awaiting his debut under Ancelotti, having been missing from the Selecao for 24 months.
He continues to be an fitness concern for the autumn fixtures, which, in the worst scenario, will leave him with only two friendly matches in March 2026 to demonstrate his worth to Ancelotti before the revealing of the final list for the World Cup.
"For 15 years, Neymar was Brazil's unquestioned talisman, bearing enormous expectations on his own," Brazilian icon Cafu stated.
"But nobody wins the World Cup single-handedly. Placing all our expectations on him at the moment is difficult because he struggles to even play multiple matches in a row."
'If Neymar is left out for technical reasons, something isn't right'
Not just has Neymar had multiple fitness issues since his return to Brazil - he's been absent for nearly half of Santos' matches this season - but, when he was available for selection, he was a different to the player who during his zenith dared to challenge Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Of his nine goal contributions so far, five have come against teams from divisions below Brazil's first division - a goal and assist against Agua Santa, followed by a goal and two assists versus another lower-division opponent, all in the Sao Paulo State Championship.
As Santos battle against demotion in the top division, the playmaker no longer seems to be the difference maker he once was.
Despite that, Ancelotti has maintained that the forward has sufficient months to show he is ready for the World Cup.
"His objective must be to be prepared in June. It doesn't matter if he's in the squad in October, late autumn or March," the coach told L'Equipe newspaper.
Ancelotti created local controversy last month by allegedly attempting to protect Neymar, claiming the star had been omitted from the team over fitness concerns.
But then Neymar himself challenged the claim, saying he "was left out for tactical decisions; it has no connection to my fitness level."
In terms of public perception, it undoubtedly worsened the situation for Neymar.
"If the player we have invested our faith in to deliver the World Cup is excluded for performance issues, obviously something isn't right," Cafu observed.
Is a Ronaldo-style comeback possible for Neymar?
Research from Datafolha found that the Brazilian public are split over whether Neymar should be included for his next global tournament.
With his 79 goals, Neymar is Brazil's historical leading marksman, but he hasn't helped his case much with his behaviour on the pitch either.
He seems more on edge than normal, having exchanged words with fans on several occasions in stadiums - it occurred in successive games in July.
The following month, the forward was left in tears after Santos endured a six-goal loss at home by Vasco da Gama - the heaviest defeat of his professional life.
When asked by a reporter about his physical state in a game aftermath discussion, he showed irritation: "This topic again, mate? I've answered this countless times already."
The same kind of question has been directed at his father and agent Neymar Sr as well.
"Neymar's plan was to remain for a limited period at Santos. To what end? To regain fitness. If Neymar managed to play, so be it," he earlier stated, causing outrage among fans.
There's still a slight hope, however, that Neymar's peak years aren't over and that he will be able to resurrect his form the same way striker Ronaldo "Phenomenon" did in the 2002 World Cup to surmount skepticism and injuries to guide Brazil to the championship trophy.
The Brazilian great observes similarities.
"He's a crucial player for Brazil - there's nobody like Neymar," Ronaldo declared during a recent event with the forward in the Brazilian city.
"It's an overstatement from a minority who believe he's ignoring his physical recovery.
Those who have been in football understand completely how hard it is to recover from an setback and restore form and self-belief. He's right on track."
The Santos star has a critical period ahead to show that he's not the prince who abandoned the throne.
