Zico praises Neymar, but questions the Brazil star's behaviour

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Coluna do Fla

·26 March 2026

Zico praises Neymar, but questions the Brazil star's behaviour

Zico questioned some of Neymar’s decisions in this pre-World Cup period

Neymar has been a topic in every newspaper in recent days due to the approach of the World Cup for the Brazilian National Team. With that in mind, Zico, Flamengo’s greatest idol, praised the number 10 but questioned some of the player’s actions.

— God gave him a talent that only a few have been given. In the world I’m talking about, it’s Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar. Those are the three. But the other two are tremendous professionals. He wasn’t being one —, Zico began in an interview with ESPN Brasil.

— Put him out there to play ten straight games for Santos, and then you can evaluate him. But in the last two or three years, when was the period in which he played that many games? There wasn’t one. That’s the problem, it’s his health. I want him to recover and play, I’m a fan —, he concluded.

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WHAT IS NEYMAR’S SITUATION?

Neymar has not been called up to the Brazilian National Team since 2023, during the World Cup qualifiers. Since then, the forward has been dealing with injuries, which has made his return to Brazil more difficult.

However, Neymar has been the target of criticism from the press, not because of his performances on the field, but because of his behavior off it. The player was seen taking part in events such as the Kings League and poker tournaments during this period.

WHEN DOES THE BRAZILIAN NATIONAL TEAM PLAY?

So, without Neymar, the Brazilian National Team takes the field this Thursday (26) against France at 5 p.m. (Brasília time) in Boston, United States. The match serves as a preparatory friendly. Finally, Coluna do Fla brings all the information.

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