June 1 (Reuters) - For Neymar, the World Cup would be less like a new beginning and more of a curtain call - one last spin on soccer's grandest stage after a career of soaring brilliance and stubborn setbacks.
Now 34, Brazil's all-time top scorer has been recalled by Carlo Ancelotti after almost three years away from the national side, though his participation was already hanging in the balance at the team's first training session last week, which he missed for scans that showed a calf injury.
He last played for Brazil in 2023 when he suffered a devastating knee injury against Uruguay in a World Cup qualifier.
Since that October night, Neymar has been sidelined for more than 600 days with a string of injuries between his time playing in Saudi Arabia and Brazil, where he returned to his boyhood club Santos last year in an attempt to revive his career.
Instead, more injuries and fresh controversies have accompanied a struggle for rhythm and sharpness.
This year he has six goals and four assists in 15 matches, carefully managed and never playing more than four consecutive games since returning from more knee surgery in February.
His inclusion in Ancelotti's squad has sparked fierce debate in Brazil. When the Italian stepped up at Rio de Janeiro's Museum of Tomorrow on May 18 to announce his squad, the tension hung heavily in the air until Neymar's name was called and the crowd exploded as though a last-gasp goal had been scored.
Ancelotti, who said on Saturday he believed Neymar could be ready in time for Brazil's first game on June 13, has opted for romance as much as reason by calling up the country's long-time talisman as he shapes a high-intensity side for the five-times world champions.
Team mates have publicly supported Neymar's return, yet supporters remain divided between loyalty and concern over whether his body can still match his imagination.
It would be his fourth World Cup — a tournament that has defined his turbulent journey.
In 2014, on home soil, he scored four goals in five matches before a back injury after a clash with a Colombian opponent ruled him out of the 7-1 semi-final defeat by Germany.
In 2018, arriving with fitness doubts after a foot injury at Paris Saint Germain, he could not stop Brazil falling to Belgium in the quarter-finals.
In 2022, buoyed up by strong club form at PSG, hopes were high again, only for an ankle injury against Serbia to disrupt his campaign before a penalty loss to Croatia ended Brazil's run again in the quarters.
Now, Neymar is far from his peak and facing a tactical dilemma. Ancelotti told Reuters in early May that his side must press high and run relentlessly - a demanding brief for a player rebuilding his body and confidence.
Whether Neymar plays a central role or serves as an emotional lightning rod, his presence alone alters the mood. For better or worse, Brazil's story in 2026 will carry his name once more.
(Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Editing by Ken Ferris)
