Neymar available, but questions remain

When coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed last week that Neymar would be available for Hexa-chasing Brazil’s final Group C game against Scotland in Miami on Thursday morning, the news likely felt sweeter than ever for Selecao fans.

In recent times, Neymar’s case has been driven less by logic and more by emotion and nostalgia for what the playmaker once produced at his peak. He remains arguably the only player left in the Brazil squad who still carries the kind of Samba flair and improvisational brilliance associated with the sides that lifted a record five World Cups.

The 34-year-old’s possible return in the famous yellow and blue jersey has naturally sparked huge interest, becoming one of the main talking points ahead of the Scotland clash. Still, there are several factors that Ancelotti must weigh carefully, all of which could shape his approach.

The first decision is whether Neymar should start against Scotland or be introduced as a substitute.

In the most likely scenario, the latter appears more realistic for a player who has not featured in national colours since suffering a knee injury in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023.

Since then, Neymar has been sidelined for more than 650 days through a series of injuries across spells in Saudi Arabia and Brazil, where he returned to boyhood club Santos last year in an attempt to revive his career.

However, further setbacks -- including a calf injury sustained around five weeks ago -- along with ongoing debate over whether he still fits the demands of modern elite football, have disrupted the rhythm of the former Barcelona and PSG star.

There is no denying that Neymar has been out of the elite football for some time. This year, he has recorded six goals and four assists in 15 appearances for Santos, while being carefully managed and never playing more than four consecutive matches since returning from knee surgery in February.

After warming the bench in Brazil’s disappointing 1-1 draw against Morocco in the opener, Neymar did not travel with the squad for their 3-0 win over Haiti in the second group match.

Even so, Neymar is expected to feature at some point in North America, whether it is against Scotland or later in the knockout stages -- which Brazil have all but secured qualification for, and can confirm top spot in the group with a win in this game.

Ancelotti now faces the delicate task of easing an injury-prone star back into international football. The Italian must carefully weigh the best way to reintegrate Neymar -- likely starting with a brief cameo against Scotland before considering him for the more demanding knockout rounds -- all while ensuring the approach aligns with Brazil’s wider goal of ending a 24-year World Cup title drought.

His teammates, however, believe he is ready.

“He’s performing at a very high level, and you could see the intensity in today’s training session. You could see how keen he is to be with us, and his quality is unquestionable,” Gabriel Martinelli said at a press conference on Monday.

“Whether he’ll play or not is a question for the manager, but I think he’s in great shape.”

Neymar being in “great shape” will naturally lift hope and excitement among Brazil fans, but the final decision rests with Ancelotti -- who must consider the bigger picture before making his call.

While the prospect of seeing Brazil’s all-time top scorer on the pitch is tempting -- especially against Scotland, a team he scored twice against on just his third international appearance when Brazil last met them in a friendly in 2011 -- it is a decision that cannot be rushed. For a team chasing glory in a long and demanding tournament, patience may prove just as valuable as inspiration.