'We may need 11 Pelés': Brazil’s Lula jokes about Neymar’s World Cup injury absence
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has joked about Neymar’s absence from the national team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing the injured forward as the “world’s first home office call-up”.
Speaking during an event in Belo Horizonte, Lula responded to a young attendee who said Neymar was currently Brazil’s best footballer and expressed hope that he would shine at the tournament.
“Who does Brazil have that is good at football now?” Lula asked the audience.
A young boy responded: “Neymar.”
“Neymar isn't even playing, my friend. I saw something yesterday saying that Neymar is the world's first home-office call-up. Any day now we're going to have to make a national team with artificial intelligence,” Lula said, drawing laughter from those in attendance.
The president’s comments came as Neymar remains sidelined with an injury sustained while playing for Santos FC in the Brazilian Championship on May 17.
The injury occurred one day before Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti named the 34-year-old forward in the squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Lula has made several remarks about Brazil’s national team during the tournament. Earlier, he urged players to approach matches with more “soul” and “grit”. He also joked that Brazil should try to convince Argentina captain Lionel Messi to play for the Seleção.
Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer, has struggled with injuries in recent years, limiting his appearances for both club and country. His absence has left Brazil without one of its most experienced players during the World Cup campaign.Brazil secured its first 3 points at the World Cup with a 3:0 win over Haiti after drawing its first game against Morocco.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
