“Nobody has to worry about taking over Neymar's role” - Brazil coach makes interesting claim ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Brazil national team coach Fernando Diniz expects no one to assume Neymar's role ahead of the country's upcoming 2026 World Cup CONMEBOL qualification fixtures.
During the current international break, the South American nation face Colombia (November 16) and Argentina (November 21) for their fifth and sixth matches of the Qualifiers.
So far, Brazil have racked up seven points from their first four matches and find themselves third in the standings. They are five points behind table-toppers Argentina.
Neymar, one of his country's most influential players, is out of action for 10 months after recently undergoing surgery for an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. To date, the Al-Hilal forward has managed 128 caps for Brazil, bagging 79 goals across all competitions.
Claiming that there is no pressure on any player to perform the 31-year-old's role, Diniz said ahead of the match against Colombia (via Reuters):
"Nobody has to worry about taking over Neymar's role. We have an extremely talented generation."
"Many can take on this role, but it's important that we don't put that weight on them. The players have to feel light and do their best. They'll naturally take centre stage."
The former Barcelona superstar was substituted following his aforementioned injury in Brazil's last match — a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay on October 17.
Brazil doctor unable to confirm Neymar return date
Brazil's national team doctor, Rodrigo Lasmar, has confirmed that the former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) attacker is recovering well after surgery. However, he is unable to put a date on the superstar forward's return.
The Al-Hilal man underwent surgery on his left knee at the Belo Horizonte hospital earlier in October. Claiming that the recovery period varies from person to person, Lasmar said in a press conference on Monday, November 15 (via Telegraph):
"He’s shown, from the first moment that he’s following what we’re proposing. He knows that it’s a process that he’s going to need all of us, physiotherapists, fitness trainers, so that we can have Neymar (back) as soon as possible."
"Injuries are individual. In general, there are associated injuries that can be just as important, such as a meniscus injury. All this makes the procedure more complex, with a slower recovery period. That’s why we don’t talk about a timescale."
Neymar has had his fair share of issues of late, only recently recovering from a muscular problem that saw him miss seven matches in August and September. Fans of the Brazilian forward will be hoping for his speedy recovery.