Neymar Warms Up But Remains on Bench as Brazil Beats Japan in World Cup

Brazil's national football team secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Japan on Tuesday, with Gabriel Martinelli scoring a last-minute winner deep into stoppage time. Despite the win, much of the attention in Brazil focused on Neymar, the former Barcelona star, who did not play in the match. Neymar warmed up during the second half but ultimately stayed on the bench as Martinelli took his place on the field.

Neymar had shown promising form after coming off the bench in Brazil's opening match against Scotland, his first game in a month and a half. However, Brazil's coach Carlo Ancelotti explained after the Japan game that Neymar was being saved for extra time if needed. Ancelotti said, "I kept him for the possibility of extra time. Under different circumstances, he would have come on around the 60th or 65th minute, but after the equalizer, I did not want to change the formation because the team was controlling the game. Japan is a tough and organized team."

In the match against Japan, Neymar was deployed as a false nine in the previous game against Scotland, while Martinelli played as a forward replacing Cunha and can also operate on the wing. Ancelotti also adjusted the lineup at halftime by substituting midfielder Lucas Paquetá with Endrick. The win keeps Brazil's World Cup 2026 campaign on track as they prepare for upcoming matches.