Brazil’s President Mocks Neymar Ahead of Haiti Match in World Cup

Neymar da Silva, the star player of Brazil’s national team, found himself at the center of unexpected ridicule from President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva following Neymar’s absence in Brazil’s recent match against Morocco during the 2026 World Cup.

Neymar missed the match against Morocco in the tournament’s opening round due to an injury sustained during training with the Seleção ahead of the World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico with 48 teams participating.

The forward will also miss Brazil’s second match against Haiti, scheduled to take place shortly.

In a light-hearted jab, President Lula remarked, “I saw yesterday that Neymar is the first player in the world to be called to work from home. He is working from home.”.

He further quipped, “I believe that one day we might have to choose our lineup using artificial intelligence: then we could have 11 players like Pelé.”.

Lula continued his playful criticism by comparing Neymar to Brazil’s legendary female player Marta, stating, “If you ask me whether Neymar is the best player in the world, I would nominate Marta.”.