MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Neymar came off the bench to make his first World Cup appearance at the 2026 World Cup for Brazil in their 3-0 Group C win over Scotland on Wednesday.
Vinícius Júnior scored twice in the first half and Matheus Cunha added a second-half goal as Brazil clinched top spot ahead of Morocco, who beat eliminated Haiti in Wednesday’s other Group C match.
Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti said ahead of the game that Neymar was fully fit and would be available, and the Santos forward entered the game in the 76th minute to a loud ovation from the huge contingent of Selecao fans at Hard Rock Stadium.
Brazil led the match 3-0 when Neymar came on for Cunha as they saw out the game and locked up top spot in the group ahead of Morocco.
“I think he deserved the opportunity to play, that’s why I gave him it,” Ancelotti said after the game. “He’s been preparing well, he’s been very serious about it. Because of his quality, I think he can play and help the team. I think he did well, even though he played for just a few minutes.”
Before Neymar came on, it was Brazil’s newest star Vinicius that had the fans enraptured, scoring his team’s opener courtesy of a Scotland gaffe at the back and then adding another from a backpost header right before halftime.
“Yes. I think everyone played well. We played as a team, and that’s a good thing,” Vinicius said when asked about Neymar. “There are many positives, such as Neymar coming off the bench, which can help us.”
Mattheus Cunha added Brazil’s third goal on 60 minutes and there was no way back into the game for an overmatched — and uninspiring — Scotland side at that point.
“Neymar is a star, a genius, a role model for all of us,” Bruno Guimarães said after the game. “We try our best to make him feel comfortable when he steps onto the field. I think he’s really happy to have come on.
“He’s a special guy, not only a great player, but also a great person.”
Neymar was one of the final players to get off Brazil’s bus Wednesday afternoon before the game, flashing a thumbs-up, giving a wave and slapping hands with a few well-wishers as he made his way inside the stadium and toward the team’s locker room.
Neymar has been dealing with a right calf injury, one that has sidelined him from all matches for more than a month. He went through a training session with Brazil on Sunday, prompting the belief that he could finally be set to play.
Neymar is Brazil’s career scoring leader with 79 goals in 129 international appearances. The 34-year-old forward appeared in each of the past three World Cups for Brazil, scoring eight goals.
His role — and whether he deserves to be on this team at all — has been a major talking point among Brazil’s passionate fans for some time. Neymar has struggled since returning from tearing the ACL in his left knee in October 2023 in a World Cup qualifier, and has four goals in eight matches for his Brazilian club Santos this season.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
