From the brink of paralysis to tears of collapse… How Neymar’s dreams turned into World Cup nightmares.

There is no middle ground in Neymar’s world. Either full glory or resounding decline. This is how Brazil always looks at the World Cup. A tournament that does not recognize partial victories, does not show mercy to those who cannot lift the trophy. Between dreaming and breaking, Neymar experienced one of the most brutal and painful careers in World Cup history.

Injured, broken, haunted by setbacks and beaten on penalties… that’s what the Brazilian star’s previous three appearances at the World Cup have looked like. But fate gave him a new chance, perhaps his last, under Carlo Ancelotti, who decided to reopen the door for a player who many believed had finished his journey with the national team.

At 34, Neymar enters the 2026 World Cup knowing the tournament is his last chance to realize a dream that has eluded him so many times. Since emerging as an exceptional talent at Santos, he has been considered the natural heir to the throne of Brazilian football, although the truth in Brazil has always been clear: there is only one king and that is Pele.