Neymar’s World Cup hopes hang by a thread amid gaffes and woes

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti would have noticed the desperation in Neymar Jr’s attempts to stay on the field, having been ‘mistakenly’ substituted during Santos' 3-0 home loss to Coritiba in a Brazilian league match on Sunday. With the Italian set to name Brazil’s World Cup squad on Monday, it was the last chance for the former Barcelona, PSG and Al Hilal star to impress Ancelotti, who has so far ignored Brazil's all-time leading international scorer.

The 34-year-old Neymar, who has struggled to be fit since he tore his ACL in October 2023, has tried for more than a year to show Ancelotti that he deserves a ticket to the US, Canada and Mexico World Cup, which would be his fourth.

The incident on Sunday night took place in the 65th minute, when Coritiba were already leading 3-0 and Neymar, whose form has improved in recent weeks, was having a quiet match for relegation-threatened Santos, the club where it all began for him. The striker was on the field having his right calf sprayed by a doctor when the referee told him to go to the sidelines, where the treatment continued.

In a matter of seconds, the fourth official raised the substitution board which indicated that No 10 – Neymar – would be leaving for Robinho Jr., who immediately stepped onto the pitch.

"I knew Robinho was coming in, but I wasn't even watching it," Neymar said. "I didn't know I had been substituted, I had not seen the board. It was a very serious mistake by the officials, by the fellow who puts the numbers on the board."

Santos coach Cuca and Neymar himself informed the fourth official and referee Paulo Cesar Zanovelli that a mistake had been made with defender Gonzalo Escobar – No 31 jersey – the intended player to be substituted.

Zanovelli gave Neymar a yellow card for refusing to accept the substitution. The striker then took the official substitution request sheet and showed it to broadcasters at the Neo Quimica Arena in Sao Paulo, with Escobar's number on it instead of his own.

"It is a mistake (of the fourth official) indeed. But it wasn't the reason why we lost, it would be unfair to place blame on this," Cuca said in a press conference.

Neymar, who missed the start of the season after knee surgey, has played in only half of his club's 16 league games this season, but he has scored four goals while collecting five yellow cards.

Brazilian media reports said that Neymar's chances of being in the 26-player squad have increased recently because his inclusion is favoured by other players who Ancelotti is certain to take to the World Cup. While still capable of producing magic on his day, the gifted Brazilian knows he’s in the last chance saloon as he attempts to win the big one.