As well as 79 of his own strikes, Neymar has laid on the pass for 59 goals for his Brazil teammates.

But still there was doubt that he would be included in Carlo Ancelotti's squad for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, due to his struggles with injury and form.

Neymar broke down in tears after Ancelotti read out his name for the squad during a gala ceremony in Rio de Janiero.

The Santos striker had been watching proceedings on TV at home with family and friends a moment he shared on his social media. His partner, Bruna Biancardi, hugged him as he sobbed.

It was just the latest dramatic scene in the international career of Neymar da Silva Santos Jnior.

In his announcement, Ancelotti said: "We evaluated Neymar throughout the entire year. Recently, he has been playing and has improved his physical condition. He is an important player, and he is going to be important at the World Cup."

Neymar had not featured in the national team known as the Seleo since October 2023, due to poor form stemming from a series of injuries while playing in Saudi Arabiafor Al-Hilalbefore his move back to Brazil.

Veteran star strikers Neymar and Ronaldo headed to World Cup

"Neymar has exactly the same obligations as all the other 25 players: he has the chance to play, to not play, to stay on the bench, to come on. He has the same responsibility as the others. He is an experienced player. In certain positions, such as the forwards and goalkeepers, we prioritised experience," saidAncelotti.

Boy wonder

It was a marked contrast to 16 years ago whenNeymar was left out of the Brazil squad for his lack of experience.

Only 18 and a rising star at Santos, everyone wanted to see this boy wonder go to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

While no-nonsense head coach Dunga agreed Neymar was a talented lad, he insisted he was too raw internationally.

In 2014, Neymar, now playing withLionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez at Barcelona, was the poster boy for the World Cup in his homeland.

His 50th international cap was the opening match of the tournament, on 12 June against Croatia in Sao Paulo. Neymar rose to the occasion, scoring twice as Brazil overturned a 1-0 deficit to win 3-1.

In the final game of the pool stages, there were two goals in the 4-1 defeat of Cameroon to send Brazil into the knockout stages

And in the last 16 against Chile in Belo Horizonte, Neymarenhanced his legend by scoring what proved to be the winning kick in the penalty shoot-out.

Injury and defeat

Then it all fell apart for Neymar, and Brazil. In the quarter-finalwin over Colombia, while challenging for the ball, Neymar was kneed in the back by Juan Camilo Zuniga.

He was stretchered off the pitch and ruled out of the rest of the tournament due to a fractured vertebra.

Without Neymar, and missing too their suspended captain Thiago Silva, Brazil were pulverised 7-1 by Germany in the semi-final.

A what if he hadn't been injured in 2014 became a what if he had been fully fit at the 2018 tournament in Russia.

By the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Neymar was the world's most expensive player, following his 222 million transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.

He should have been in his prime for the tournament, but he was still recovering from a foot injurysustained in Februarywhile playingfor PSG.

Although Brazil cruised through the pool stages and the last 16,Belgium eliminated themwith a 2-1 victory.

"Ican say that it is the saddest moment of my career," Neymar wrote on social media, following the defeat in Kazan. "The pain is very great because we knew we could get there. We knew we had the conditions to go further, to make history, but it was not to be this time."

Messi, Mbapp and Neymar strike as PSG beat Maccabi Haifi in Champions League

Qatar in 2022 wasn't the time either, although Neymar scored a goal in the 4-1 win in the last-16 tie against South Korea, and the opener against Croatia in the quarter-finals. But the Croatians levelled and claimed the penalty shoot-out, to inflict more World Cup misery on the Brazilians.

The Seleokick off their quest for a record sixth World Cup win on 13 June against Morocco at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

They then travel to Philadelphia, where they face Haiti on 19 June, and conclude the group stages on 24 June against Scotland in Miami.

Originally published on RFI