Neymar Júnior (33, Santos) has joined the Brazil national team after 17 months. He is also looking forward to meeting Argentina captain Lionel Messi (38, Inter Miami).

Spain's 'Marca' reported on the 7th (Korea time), "It's an official announcement. The Brazil national team has brought Neymar back, and he will face Messi. Dorival Júnior, Brazil's coach, announced the roster for the World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina."

The Brazil Football Association (CBF) has released the 23-player roster for the March friendly matches against Colombia and Argentina as part of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 North and Central America World Cup. Brazil will face Colombia on the 21st and Argentina on the 26th.

The 23-man roster includes existing players such as Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo (both from Real Madrid), Raphinha (Barcelona), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), and Alisson (Liverpool). Defender Murillo, who is leading a surge at Nottingham Forest, has also been called up.

The most notable aspect is Neymar's return. He has registered in the midfielder section, receiving a call-up to the national team for the first time in 1 year and 5 months since the match against Uruguay in October 2023. Neymar has been distanced from the national team due to a series of injuries, including tearing his left Chonbang ligament.

Neymar is a key member of Brazil, which boasts world-class players. He holds the record for the most goals in Brazil's history with 79 goals in 128 international matches. He has already surpassed the 'King of Football' Pelé's 77 goals.

Neymar has been regarded as a 'once-in-a-generation talent' since childhood. He made his mark immediately after joining Santos in 2009, earning the title of the world's top prospect with his Brazilian flair, dazzling skills, control, and scoring ability. Neymar scored 138 goals in 230 matches wearing the Santos jersey before leaving for Barcelona in 2013.

His time at Barcelona was also successful. Neymar formed the 'MSN trio' with Messi and Luis Suárez, achieving a historic treble. However, he wanted more and broke the all-time transfer fee record when he moved to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2017. PSG paid €222 million (about 346.9 billion won) to Barcelona.

However, afterward, it has been a gradual decline. Neymar demonstrated some level of class at PSG, but he consistently stumbled in the UEFA Champions League (UCL), failing to meet fans' expectations. Additionally, with increasing injuries, he faced excessive criticism from local fans.

Tired of life in Paris, Neymar left for Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal in the summer of 2023. At that time, Al Hilal offered a staggering 'oil money' deal worth €100 million (about 156.2 billion won) including transfer options and an annual salary of €150 million (about 226.3 billion won). The contract was for two years.

However, Neymar suffered a torn Chonbang ligament just five matches after arriving in Saudi Arabia, sidelining him for the season. He played only 42 minutes throughout 2024. He returned in October last year after about a year but collapsed again due to a right thigh injury.

Ultimately, Neymar mutually terminated his contract with Al Hilal last January. It was literally a massive waste of investment. Neymar reportedly played just 7 matches, scoring 1 goal and providing 2 assists while pocketing nearly £200 million (about 360 billion won) during his year and a half in Saudi Arabia. For Al Hilal, they effectively burned about 360 billion won per goal.

Returning to his homeland Brazil, Neymar is showing signs of revival. Since joining Santos last month, he has recorded 3 goals and 3 assists in 7 matches, already exceeding his attacking points from Al Hilal. He also scored 1 goal and provided 2 assists, including a goal from a corner kick, against Internacional de Limeira.

As a result, the Brazil national team has called Neymar back. Coach Dorival stated, "There is no need to talk about what Neymar represents. He is currently going through a recovery process. We understand this, but we also recognize that Neymar's ability and qualities help him overcome any situation that may arise during the game."

He added, "Neymar is a player everyone knows well. I hope he is very happy with his return. I also want to provide the safety necessary for him to give his best. We will not place great expectations or responsibilities on Neymar for this return."

Meanwhile, Brazil is currently in 5th place in the South American qualifiers with 18 points. Argentina (25 points) is in 1st place, followed by Uruguay (20 points), Ecuador, and Colombia (both 19 points). The top 6 results will directly qualify for the World Cup, while the 7th place will enter intercontinental playoffs. Brazil cannot afford to be complacent, as they are not far ahead of 7th place Bolivia (13 points) and 8th place Venezuela (12 points).

[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), Santos, Brazil Football Association, 365 Scores social media.

[OSEN = Reporter Ko Seong-hwan]