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.
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"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.
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"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.
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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.
