'Even the impossible' - Neymar makes Brazil 'promise' ahead of 2026 World Cup and sends selection message to boss Carlo Ancelotti

Santos have confirmed that their star attacker successfully underwent knee surgery as Neymar faces a race against time to regain full fitness and reclaim his position in the Brazil squad ahead of the World Cup next summer in North America.

The statement from Santos read: "An arthroscopy was performed to treat a medial meniscus injury. The surgery was a success, and the athlete is doing well." 

After struggling with a knee problem in the final weeks of the Brazilian Serie A, Neymar finally went under the knife on Monday as Brazil national team's doctor Rodrigo Lasmar performed the surgery. 

While Santos did not provide a timeline of the attacker's return, Globo Esporte has claimed that the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star would require up to a month to fully recover and return to the training pitch. 

Neymar, who has not featured for the Selecao since September 2023 when he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear, is determined to stage a comeback and take his place in Carlo Ancelotti's squad that would travel to North America next summer for the 2026 World Cup.

Neymar had taken the stage with singer Thiaguinho, where he made a promise to the nation as he said over the weekend: "We are going to do everything possible, even the impossible, to bring this World Cup back to Brazil. In July, you can hold me accountable. Come on, Ancelotti, help us out, okay? If we reach the final, I promise to score."

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While the Santos star remains hopeful of competing at his fourth World Cup for Brazil in North America next year, his participation is not 100 per cent guaranteed as it remains to be seen if manager Ancelotti will call the veteran forward into his squad for the tournament. 

The Italian coach has previously revealed that Neymar is in contention but a final decision is yet to be made. He told reporters: "If we’re talking about Neymar, we have to talk about other players. We have to think about Brazil, which could have Neymar or be without Neymar, with other players or without other players. We’ll make the final list after the March FIFA window. I understand very well that you are very interested in Neymar. I want to make it clear that we are in December, the World Cup is in June, nd I will choose the team that goes to the World Cup in May. If Neymar deserves to be there, if he’s doing well, if he’s better than someone else, he will play in the World Cup, period. I don’t owe anything to anyone."

The Brazil icon had a mixed experience back in his homeland as he continued to struggle with injuries during the past year at Santos. Yet, the Brazil star ended the most recent campaign on a high as he scored four goals in the last three games of the season and helped Santos to escape the relegation zone and finish 12th in the Brazilian Serie A. 

With Neymar's current Santos contract expiring at the end of December, there has been speculation over his future at his boyhood team, though ESPN had earlier claimed that the 33-year-old has always prioritised staying at Santos and is set to continue at the club at least until the 2026 World Cup next summer. Various clubs have been linked with a move for Neymar, including Lionel Messi's Inter Miami, but he and Santos are now in "advanced talks" to extend his contract and he will sign an initial six-month contract extension.

Santos president Marcelo Teixeira, though, remains upbeat that Neymar will sign a new contract soon, as he told ESPN: "Neymar's project is a project for next year's World Cup. The conversation has always been this. He could go anywhere and wanted to come to Santos, his home. Maybe we imagined taking advantage of it more in the first half of the year and we couldn't, but it's nobody's fault. He ends the season in a better way, he was decisive. Neymar's participation continues to be important, off the field and on it. The dialogue remains. We are evaluating the numbers and extending these values. I have a positive expectation that we will reach a common denominator for his permanence."