Neymar Jr. has officially made his highly anticipated return to the pitch for the Brazilian national team, ending an absence of precisely 981 days. His comeback came during Brazil’s convincing 3-0 victory over Scotland in their final Group C fixture of the FIFA World Cup 2026, played on June 25.
The momentous occasion saw Brazil secure their spot in the knockout stages. The goals for the South American giants came from Vinicius Jr., who netted a brace in the 7th and 45+3 minutes, and Matheus Cunha, who added a third goal in the 60th minute. The pivotal moment arrived in the 76th minute when coach Carlo Ancelotti introduced the 34-year-old Neymar Jr. into the game, replacing Matheus Cunha. This substitution marked the superstar’s first appearance for the national team in nearly three years.
Prior to the match, Italian coach Ancelotti had confirmed that Neymar Jr. was fully recovered from his previous injury and had completed a comprehensive training regimen, making him available for selection. Neymar Jr.’s lengthy spell away from the national squad began in October 2023 when he suffered a severe knee ligament rupture while representing Brazil during the CONMEBOL World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
With this victory against Scotland, Brazil cemented their position at the top of Group C, accumulating an impressive seven points. They were joined in advancing to the Round of 32 by Morocco, who also finished with seven points after a 4-2 triumph over Haiti in their final group stage match. While Haiti was eliminated earlier in the group stage, Scotland, with three points, now faces an anxious wait to see if their performance is sufficient to secure a spot as one of the best third-placed teams.
Meanwhile, the drama unfolded similarly in Group B, where Switzerland and co-hosts Canada both secured their passage to the knockout rounds. In their decisive Group B encounter, Switzerland emerged victorious against co-host Canada with a 2-1 scoreline. This win propelled Switzerland to the top of the group with seven points, while Canada, despite the loss, also guaranteed their progression by finishing second with four points.
Canada now joins fellow co-hosts Mexico and the United States in the Round of 32, all successfully navigating their respective group stages. In the same group, Qatar’s World Cup journey concluded after they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Bosnia. Qatar managed only one point across their three group matches and were consequently eliminated. Bosnia, however, found renewed hope with their final-day victory. Despite an initial 1-1 draw against co-host Canada and a subsequent 4-1 loss to Switzerland, their win against Qatar significantly boosted their chances of advancing to the Round of 32 as one of the best third-placed teams across the tournament.
