Neymar Opens Up on Injury Absence, Zidane Meeting and Brazil’s World Cup Burden
Neymar has used a personal column published by The Guardian to reflect on what it feels like to watch the World Cup from the outside for the first time, while also addressing the immense weight of representing Brazil on football’s biggest stage.
The veteran forward is currently sidelined through injury and is not part of the Seleção squad at the 2026 World Cup. Rather than being inside the tournament bubble — the familiar cycle of hotel, training pitch and stadium — he finds himself experiencing a very different side of the competition, attending events and meeting fellow footballers across the host cities.
Two afternoons in New York produced what Neymar describes as extraordinary encounters. At a gathering near the Brooklyn Bridge, arranged through a shared sponsor, he found himself alongside Marcelo, Kaká, Paul Pogba and Zinedine Zidane. The occasion quickly became something more informal, with players from different generations swapping stories and soaking up the tournament atmosphere alongside hundreds of fans. Neymar also revealed he walked away with a signed shirt from Zidane, whom he describes as both a former coach and