CHENNAI: July 6, 2018, on his knees, with hands on the turf, and his head bowed down, Neymar Jr was devastated, and it seemed like the 26-year-old’s World Cup career was quickly pulling down the curtains.
Despite having moments of magic on the field, Neymar and Brazil crashed out of the competition, and it was the ‘beginning of the end’. Three World Cups went by like a flash, but Neymar’s body had aged so badly that the thought of Neymar’s presence at another World Cup seemed a distant thought.
What is football? Joy of watching someone weave his magic? Someone who can give joy to an entire nation just with his first touch? He represented everything that the game stood for, and yet, as he now exits, it seems like a void that was in writing.
At 22, in his much-awaited World Cup debut, Neymar wasn’t just another talent; he was the voice, the beating heart of this Brazilian setup and a veteran. By then, the prince that was promised had already played a big part in Brazil’s Confederations Cup triumph. He even led the country to a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics and finished fifth at the 2013 Ballon d’Or, the prestigious prize for the best player in the world.
When he walked onto the pitch in Brazil’s opening encounter against Croatia, the crowd at Sao Paulo went mental, as a young Neymar, with a side buzz and towering spikes in the middle, had tormented the European side, scoring two crucial goals. It wasn’t just football to the eyes; it was magic, as he flowed like water on the pitch.
Every move, every trick, every goal only solidified the fact that he was the ‘Prince that was promised’, the one who could challenge Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for top individual prizes. Neymar literally carried Brazil's hopes throughout the tournament, and his injury was a turning point in the team's campaign at the home event.
Injuries mounted, transfers followed, trophies accumulated, yet the Copa Mundial remained a dream untouched. Every four years, the hope returned before being cut short, as heartbreak became the theme. The 2026 World Cup was viewed as this ‘Last Dance’ – one last shot at glory.
79 goals, four World Cups surely warrant a World Cup selection, right?
Fate had written another tale. Brazil’s new head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, ignored the noise and, with the noise, ignored Neymar too, as he assembled a squad that was all but guaranteed to go to the World Cup.
Heartbroken, Neymar didn’t stop; he went on, playing through several medical injections, carrying a left-knee meniscus injury, with just one goal on his mind: Brazil's return. It was visible on the pitch, the 34-year-old pushed himself to the limit, scoring nine goals across 15 appearances for Santos, including a hat-trick in a 3-0 away win against Juventude.
The media kept bombarding Ancelotti with one question: ‘Where’s Neymar?’ The prince that was promised was no longer even promised to be at the World Cup.
Then came the Ancelotti bombshell, when he announced Neymar, Santos, drawing the biggest cheers and whistles in the squad announcement for the 2026 World Cup. It came at the expense of an in-form Joao Pedro, who scored 18 goals in all competitions for Chelsea.
"We spent the entire year analysing Neymar. We realised that in this last period he had continuity and was in good physical condition,” Ancelotti said.
It wasn’t logical, yet it was the one that was desired. Yet as the tournament rolled on, it was obvious that Ancelotti’s pick was a roll of the dice and not logical as injury continued to hamper the 34-year-old. When he slotted a penalty effortlessly past Orjan Nyland, the belief trumped logic.
But as it has been with Neymar’s career, his time ran out, as he went to the floor, bawling his eyes out, with his entire career playing in front of the fans who grew up with that World Cup promise.
After the 2-1 loss to Norway in the round of 16, Neymar said “I tried. It started here, at MetLife Stadium, and I finished here. It is now over.” As we skipped an era, and realisation dawned, the prince arrived while the kingdom never did. Neymar’s career was filled with moments and largely unfulfilled promises.