Industry Odisha Bureau, Jun 13: Even though Neymar da Silva Santos Junior (popular as Neymar) is deemed to be Brazil’s numero uno football star today, and also reportedly being scorer of a record 79 goals i.e. two more than legendary Pele (Edson Arantes do Nascimento), the Brazilian football team will reportedly start its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign without Neymar due to a calf injury, and he will reportedly miss the opening match against Morocco scheduled today at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (USA) that is going to kick off at 6.00 pm local time (Eastern Daylight Time).
Reportedly, “34-year-old Neymar plays as a forward for Santos and the Brazil national team. Celebrated for his dribbling, creativity, and finishing, he has starred for Santos, Barcelona’s treble-winning ‘MSN’ attack, and ‘PSG’ after a world-record €222m transfer. Being Brazil’s all-time top scorer with 79 goals, he won Olympic gold in 2016 and major titles in Brazil, Spain, and France.”
Reports added, “Neymar made his professional debut with Santos in 2009. As a teenager, he led the club to the Copa Libertadores and was named the competition’s Best Player, ending a 48-year drought for the title. He later finished in 10th place for the 2011 Ballon d’Or, an unprecedented feat for a non-European club player. In 2013, Barcelona signed Neymar and he soon became part of a dominant attacking trio with Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez—known as MSN. Neymar won numerous titles with the club, including a treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League in 2014–15, finishing as the top goalscorer of both that season’s Champions League and the Copa del Rey. At Barcelona, he finished in third place for the Ballon d’Or in 2015 and 2017, only behind Messi and Ronaldo.”
It has further been reported, “Neymar debuted for Brazil at the age of 18, and has since become the nation’s second-most-capped player, only trailing Cafu. He is the nation’s all-time top goalscorer, with 79 goals in 128 matches. Neymar won the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and received the Golden Ball before being voted in the Dream Team and receiving the Bronze Boot at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In 2016, he captained Brazil to their first Olympic gold medal in men’s football at the Summer Olympics, having previously won silver in the 2012 edition. In the 2021 Copa América, he was focal to Brazil’s runners-up finish, where he was jointly awarded Best Player. In 2023, he surpassed Pelé’s 52-year long record as Brazil’s all-time top goalscorer.”
