Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took a sharp swipe at Neymar during a public event in Belo Horizonte, questioning the striker’s inclusion in the national team while the 34-year-old remained out injured. Lula joked, “Who is Brazil’s best player now? Neymar? He’s not even playing! Neymar is the first player in the world who works from home.” He added, “Yesterday I heard someone say Neymar is a player who works from home. I saw it on the internet. One day maybe we’ll need to build a team with artificial intelligence and 11 Pelés.”
The comments came as Brazil prepared to face Haiti in their second Group G match at the World Cup, scheduled for late Friday into Saturday at 3:30 a.m. on Sport1. Neymar had returned to training with the squad earlier in the week, but he was not in the matchday squad for the Haiti game. While his teammates traveled to Philadelphia, he stayed in New Jersey, where Brazil’s World Cup training camp is based, continuing his recovery.
The dispute has a political edge. Neymar publicly backed Lula’s opponent, Jair Bolsonaro, in the last election and even campaigned for his reelection, drawing criticism from parts of Brazil’s political establishment. Lula himself had said about two months ago that Carlo Ancelotti had consulted him over Neymar’s World Cup call-up. At the time, Lula said, “If he is fit, he still has football. The question is whether he really wants it.”
Reports say Neymar is also unlikely to play against Scotland, as Brazil wants to maximize his chances of being fully fit for the tournament’s decisive stages. Despite the prolonged absence, coach Carlo Ancelotti still trusts the veteran star, and Neymar believes he will be ready when the biggest moments arrive.
