Neymar’s Impact on Brazil's World Cup Journey

Neymar hasn’t played a minute at this World Cup. He hasn’t even made a matchday squad. Yet every time he steps onto the training pitch, the mood around Brazil lifts.

Two games in, two very different performances – a laboured 1-1 draw with Morocco and a comfortable 3-0 win over Haiti – and still the biggest noise around the Selecao is about a man in a bib rather than a shirt.

Neymar’s shadow over Group C

For now, Neymar remains a spectator when it matters. Left out of both matchday squads, he is edging his way back, his return carefully managed as Brazil chase top spot in Group C and something far bigger beyond it.

Inside the camp, though, his impact is already being felt.

“We're all very happy to see him training and back on the pitch with us. Neymar is a very important player for the Brazilian national team,” Lucas Paqueta said on Sunday, his words carrying the relief of a group that has leaned on Neymar’s brilliance for more than a decade.

“He has an extraordinary history with this shirt and he can still help us a lot. We're glad he's back and we hope he'll be available as soon as possible to contribute to the team.”

If he is passed fit to face Scotland at Miami Stadium, it will be his first competitive appearance for Brazil since 2023. That alone would turn a group-stage fixture into an event.

A boost and a blow

Neymar’s gradual return is the good news. The bad news is Raphinha.

The Barcelona winger, one of the key outlets in this new-look Brazil, is sidelined with a hamstring injury. His absence strips pace and width from an attack that already looked disjointed against Morocco before finding its feet against Haiti.

The diagnosis is clear. The timeline is not.

Raphinha’s availability for the rest of the tournament is uncertain, and Brazil know exactly what they are missing: a wide forward in form, coming off strong seasons at club level and increasingly influential in the national team shirt.

“Right now he has the support of the whole group. We're by his side and we'll do everything we can to help him during his recovery,” Paqueta said, speaking as much as a teammate as a spokesman.

“He’s a guy who works really hard and I'm sure he'll do everything possible to come back as soon as he can. As for his importance, there's not much more to add. He's coming off some extraordinary seasons and has grown a lot with the national team as well.”

One talisman edging back, another forced to watch. Brazil’s attacking plan for the knockouts may depend on how quickly that balance can be restored.

No room for arrogance

Brazil arrive at Miami Stadium as five-time world champions, top of Group C with four points and a goal difference that flatters them slightly. The table says control. The performances say there is still plenty to fix.

Across from them stand Scotland, a nation with its own history of heartbreak on this stage and a clear, simple objective: reach the knockout rounds for the first time. A positive result against Brazil would likely take them there.

Paqueta knows the script. He also knows how dangerous this kind of game can be if Brazil believe too much in their own mythology.

“All the teams at the World Cup deserve respect. You have to study them and prepare as best as possible to face them,” the former West Ham midfielder said.

“We have great respect for Scotland, but we also know we need to play our game and follow what the coach asks of us. Regardless of the opponent, our goal in every match is to win.”

No bravado. No swagger. Just a clear message: respect the opponent, impose your football.

Fine margins at the top

The group table leaves Brazil with no margin for a misstep. They sit on four points, level with Morocco, ahead only on the details that can vanish in a single bad half of football.

Victory against Scotland is the only way to be sure of finishing top. Anything less, and eyes will turn nervously to the other match, where Morocco face already eliminated Haiti. On paper, that looks straightforward. World Cups have a habit of ripping up paper.

Brazil know that an inconsistent start can quickly become a story of pressure and doubt if the final group game goes wrong. They also know that a commanding win, perhaps with Neymar back in the side, would send a very different message.

The training-ground smiles are one thing. The real test comes under the lights in Miami, where Brazil must decide what kind of World Cup team they want to be – and whether their No. 10 is ready to lead them again when it matters most.