Vinicius Jr. is excited about the prospect of Neymar rejoining the Brazil national team for their upcoming fixtures against Colombia and Argentina.
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Neymar could be recalled by Dorival Jr.Last featured for the Selecao in October 2023Vinicus excited to link up again with his "idol"Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The 33-year-old forward is expected to be named in Dorival Junior’s squad when it is officially announced on Thursday. If he's included, this would mark Neymar’s return to international duty after a lengthy absence. The last time he featured for Brazil was in October 2023, when he suffered a serious knee injury during a qualifier against Uruguay. That setback kept him sidelined for nearly a year, but it appears he is now building up some momentum again in his homeland.
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Speaking to VinĂcius made it clear how much Neymar’s potential return means to the squad.
"The expectation is great because he is the idol of our generation," Vinicius said.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
After struggling with injuries during his stint at Al Hilal, where he made just seven appearances in over 18 months, Neymar opted to return to his boyhood club, Santos, in the January transfer window. This move was aimed at regaining both his form and fitness ahead of a potential international comeback. In Santos’ 2-0 victory over Bragantino on Sunday, Neymar found the net with a well-placed free-kick – his third goal in four games since rejoining the Brazilian club.
"We are very happy that he returned to Santos," Vinicius said. "That he has returned to score and that he is happy, which is always the most important thing."
DID YOU KNOW?
Despite his goal-scoring form, Neymar's fitness remains a talking point. He was taken off in the 76th minute against Bragantino after feeling discomfort in his thigh. The sight of him receiving treatment on the bench sparked some concern among fans. However, the forward quickly took to Instagram to reassure everyone that his substitution was merely a precautionary decision rather than an indication of a serious issue.
He wrote: "I'm fine, I felt uncomfortable and thought it was better to spare myself! It's been a while since I played a game with this intensity. I'm so happy to be getting back into my best physical shape! Thank you, everyone, for the messages."