Neymar’s return to action came with lingering doubts about his physical condition, having recently recovered from an injury since his move to Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia. He had yet to make an appearance for his new club in the Arabian Gulf League. However, the 31-year-old superstar still donned the Brazilian national team jersey.
This move might invite criticism from Al Hilal fans, but it’s evident that Neymar’s top priority is representing the Brazilian national team, especially with the World Cup 2026 on the horizon, potentially marking the culmination of his illustrious career.
Neymar played with immense intensity and had an opportunity to open the scoring from the penalty spot in the 17th minute. However, his shot lacked power and was easily saved by Bolivia’s goalkeeper, Guillermo Viscarra. Despite the dominant performance, Brazil broke the deadlock in the 24th minute, with Rodrygo finding the back of the net to make it 1-0. Towards the end of the first half, Neymar showcased his individual brilliance but still couldn’t beat Bolivia’s goalkeeper, Guillermo Viscarra.
In the second half, Neymar provided a beautiful assist to Raphinha in the 47th minute, extending Brazil’s lead to 2-0. Just six minutes later, Neymar continued to influence the game, contributing to Rodrygo’s second goal and increasing Brazil’s lead to 3-0.
In the 61st minute, Neymar finally found the back of the net himself, after several missed chances, making it 4-0 for Brazil. In the 78th minute, Abrego managed to pull one back for Bolivia with a surprising counter-attack, reducing the deficit to 4-1. However, in injury time (90+3), Neymar made his mark on his return to the Brazilian national team with a decisive goal, sealing a convincing 5-1 victory.
With his two goals in this match, Neymar officially surpassed Pele’s scoring record, becoming the highest-scoring player in the history of the Brazilian national team with 79 goals, surpassing Pele’s 77 goals, solidifying his legacy as one of Brazil’s all-time greats.
