Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva joked on Friday that sidelined forward Neymar is working remotely at the 2026 World Cup.
The 80-year-old leader made the remarks during a ceremony at a hospital in Belo Horizonte when a young boy brought up the player's name.
"Neymar? He does not even play!"
Lula said, according to reports.
The veteran politician noted that the forward's current situation with the national team represents a unique setup in football history.
"Neymar is the first player in the world called up to the national team to do remote work," Lula added.
The comments quickly sparked a wide debate among Brazilian fans regarding the inclusion of injured players over other fit options.
"Neymar is not even playing, I have read that he is the first player called up in a World Cup who does remote work," Lula commented.
The 34-year-old striker has been recovering from a right calf muscle injury sustained with his club Santos, which has limited his appearances this year.
Neymar has not played an official match for Brazil since sustaining a severe knee injury in October 2023, though he returned to training on Wednesday.
National team coach Carlo Ancelotti omitted the all-time leading scorer from the squad for the second group match against Haiti in Philadelphia to avoid rushing his rehabilitation.
Brazil previously opened their tournament with a 1-1 draw against Morocco in New Jersey and will conclude the group stage against Scotland in Miami on June 24.
