Neymar’s Impact on Brazil's World Cup Journey

Neymar has not played a minute at this World Cup. He has not even made a matchday squad. Yet every time he steps onto the training pitch, the mood around Brazil lifts.

Two games in – a laboured 1-1 draw with Morocco and a more convincing 3-0 win over Haiti – and the Selecao sit top of Group C on four points. They are not purring yet, not in the way Brazil sides are supposed to when a tournament starts to take shape. But the sight of their No. 10 back in full training has injected something they were missing: the feeling that their talisman might still have a say in this story.

Neymar’s shadow over Brazil’s campaign

Neymar has been absent from the matchday sheets, but not from the conversation. This is still his team in many ways, his era not quite over, his influence impossible to ignore.

Lucas Paqueta, fronting the media on Sunday, did not bother to hide what it means to have him back on the grass.

"We're all very happy to see him training and back on the pitch with us. Neymar is a very important player for the Brazilian national team," Paqueta told reporters. "He has an extraordinary history with this shirt and he can still help us a lot. We're glad he's back and we hope he'll be available as soon as possible to contribute to the team."

If he is passed fit to face Scotland at Miami Stadium, it would be Neymar’s first competitive appearance for Brazil since 2023. That alone would turn a group decider into a global event.

For now, though, his impact is emotional and psychological. Training sessions feel sharper. The standard rises. Players push a little harder, knowing the bar set by the man who has carried this shirt for more than a decade.

Raphinha’s absence bites

While one star edges closer, another remains stuck on the treatment table.

Barcelona winger Raphinha, so important to Brazil’s width and tempo, is sidelined with a hamstring injury. His absence has already altered the team’s attacking rhythm, taking away a direct runner who stretches defences and opens pockets for the likes of Paqueta to exploit.

The timeline for his return is unclear. That uncertainty hangs over the camp.

"Right now he has the support of the whole group. We're by his side and we'll do everything we can to help him during his recovery," Paqueta said. "He's a guy who works really hard and I'm sure he'll do everything possible to come back as soon as he can. As for his importance, there's not much more to add. He's coming off some extraordinary seasons and has grown a lot with the national team as well."

Brazil can replace a name on the teamsheet. Replacing Raphinha’s understanding with his teammates, his recent form, his growing authority in the side – that is harder.

No room for arrogance

Five World Cups. A shirt that weighs heavy with history. A fanbase that expects not just wins, but a certain way of winning.

Against that backdrop, a final group game against Scotland might look straightforward from a distance. Paqueta refused to entertain that notion.

"All the teams at the World Cup deserve respect. You have to study them and prepare as best as possible to face them," the former West Ham midfielder said. "We have great respect for Scotland, but we also know we need to play our game and follow what the coach asks of us. Regardless of the opponent, our goal in every match is to win."

Scotland arrive with something Brazil do not have: the hunger of a nation still chasing its first ever appearance in the knockout stages. Steve Clarke’s side know that a positive result against the South Americans could be historic. That kind of incentive sharpens every tackle, every sprint, every second ball.

Brazil, then, walk into a game loaded with risk. They lead Group C, but only just. Morocco are level on four points and face already eliminated Haiti in the other fixture. Anything less than victory could see the Selecao lose control of top spot.

Fine margins in Group C

The group table looks comfortable at first glance. It is not.

Brazil’s four points leave them in charge, but the margin is thin. Morocco, buoyed by that opening draw against the favourites, will expect to beat Haiti. If they do, Brazil must match or better their result to stay top.

Finishing first is not just about pride. It shapes the route through the knockout rounds, the rhythm of the tournament, the calibre of opponent waiting in the last 16. Slip now, and the path becomes steeper.

That is why the mood in camp is not relaxed, despite the scoreline against Haiti. The performance levels still need polishing. The passing sequences need to be crisper, the pressing more coordinated, the decision-making in the final third more ruthless. The players know it. The staff know it. The margin for error is shrinking with every game.

And somewhere in the middle of it all, Neymar is running, passing, shooting in training, trying to convince everyone – coaches, doctors, himself – that he is ready to step back into the arena.

If he does, the dynamic of this Brazil side changes in an instant. If he does not, the responsibility falls even heavier on Paqueta and the rest to carry the weight of expectation on their own.

Either way, Scotland await in Miami, chasing history while Brazil chase something even more demanding: the standard their own shirt demands every time it appears on a World Cup pitch.