Neymar sidelined against Mirassol, just three appearances this season | OneFootball

In a World Cup year, forward Neymar is unable to maintain continuity with the Santos jersey. Definite absence against Mirassol, the star will reach his 11th game of absence for the Alvinegro Praiano this season, having participated in only three.

The forward, who has been a reference for the Brazilian National Team in recent years and the main player for Santos, managed to have a sequence of games only once this season.

After missing the first ten games of the year, Neymar debuted against Velo Clube, in the eighth round of the Paulistão. The star scored one of the goals in the rout that qualified the Alvinegro for the knockout stage. However, his performance against Novorizontino, in the quarter-finals, was below expectations, failing in one of the goals for the Novo Horizonte team.

Subsequently, the forward was crucial in the match against Vasco, in the fourth round of the Brazilian Championship. Neymar scored both goals for Santos, securing their first victory in the tournament.

Can Neymar go to the World Cup?

One of the main reasons for Santos' maintenance in the elite of Brazilian football last season, Neymar started the year recovering from an arthroscopy. In December 2025, after the end of the Brasileirão, the star underwent surgery on the medial meniscus of his left knee and began recovery thinking about the next season for Peixe and the World Cup.

However, the lack of match rhythm could exclude Neymar from a possible call-up. Since Carlo Ancelotti took over the Canarinho, the Italian has not selected the star on any occasion. The national team coach will be present at the match between Mirassol and Santos, but the Alvinegro Praiano's number 10 will be preserved.

Thus, with just over three months until the World Cup, it is unlikely that Neymar will be called up in the current state. However, if the star remains healthy and performs well in the coming months, he may appear on Ancelotti's lists.

Next Santos match

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.