Neymar’s highly anticipated return to the Brazilian national team has been put on hold. Coach Dorival Junior has decided not to include the Al-Hilal star in the squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Uruguay ¹ ².
This decision comes despite Neymar’s recent return to play with Al Hilal on October 21, after a year-long absence due to a serious knee injury ¹ ². According to Dorival Junior, Neymar’s lack of playing time and ongoing recovery process were key factors in this decision. “We decided not to bring him so as not to rush things,” Dorival Junior explained. “He’s practically fully recovered, but he only had a few minutes, which weighed heavily on the decision” ².
Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, last played for his country on October 17, 2023, in the game where he sustained the injury ². His return to the national team is now expected to happen in March 2025, when Brazil faces Colombia and Argentina ¹ ².
*Brazil’s Squad for November 2024 World Cup Qualifiers*
The 23-man squad includes notable players such as:
– _Goalkeepers:_ Alisson (Liverpool), Bento (Al-Nassr), Ederson (Man City) ¹
– _Forwards:_ Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Rodrygo (Real Madrid) ¹
– _New Addition:_ Estêvão Willian, the 17-year-old Chelsea-bound teenager, who
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