The Brazilian Unquestioned Superstar? Neymar's World Cup Race Against Time
As Ousmane Dembele received the prestigious football award in late September, Neymar was receiving treatment for his third injury of the year - simultaneously participating in an virtual card tournament.
The veteran Brazilian ace ultimately finished as runner-up, securing around £73,800 in tournament winnings.
It was limited solace on a day when he had to witness the player who once replaced him at Barcelona lift the award he had long hoped to win.
Since returning to his youth team Santos in January, the 33-year-old forward has fallen short of expectations, drawing more attention for comparable situations than for his on-field performances.
His return home after 12 seasons away was meant to be a chance for him to regain his form and, most importantly, revive a passion for the game that seemed diminished after frustrating spells with PSG and Al Hilal.
Conversely, it has been widely disappointing for each stakeholder.
This reflects the situation that the primary concern being asked right now in Brazil is whether Neymar will participate in the upcoming global tournament.
He's running out of time.
"All players have to prove that they are fit. The deadline approaches [for him]," Brazilian legend Tostao commented in his regular feature.
On Wednesday, Brazil manager the Italian tactician disclosed his squad for the forthcoming matches against Korea Republic and Japan and, yet again, Neymar was not in it.
"O Principe", as he was nicknamed when welcomed back at Santos in a reference to the king Pele, is still awaiting his debut under Ancelotti, having been missing from the Selecao for 24 months.
He also remains an fitness concern for the autumn fixtures, which, in the worst scenario, will leave him with just a pair of friendly matches in spring 2026 to prove himself to Ancelotti before the announcement of the final list for the World Cup.
"Over a decade and a half, Neymar was Brazil's unquestioned talisman, bearing enormous expectations on his own," former AC Milan and Roma legend Cafu stated.
"But no one wins the World Cup alone. Placing all our hopes on him at the moment is difficult because he struggles to even play three games in a row."
'Technical exclusion raises serious questions about Neymar'
Not only has Neymar had various physical concerns since his homecoming - he's been absent for nearly half of Santos' matches this season - but, when he was available for selection, he was a different to the player who during his zenith dared to challenge Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Of his nine goal contributions so far, half have come against teams from divisions below Brazil's top flight - a scoring contribution against a lower-league side, followed by a three goal involvements versus Inter de Limeira, all in the Sao Paulo State Championship.
As Santos battle against demotion in the top division, the playmaker no longer seems to be the difference maker he previously represented.
Despite that, Ancelotti has insisted that the forward has plenty of time to show he is ready for the World Cup.
"His objective must be to be ready in June. It doesn't matter if he's in the squad in October, November or March," the coach told L'Equipe newspaper.
Ancelotti created local discussion last month by allegedly attempting to shield Neymar, stating the star had been omitted from the team over physical condition issues.
But then Neymar himself contradicted this, saying he "was excluded for technical reasons; it has no connection to my fitness level."
In terms of public perception, it undoubtedly worsened the situation for Neymar.
"If the player we have pinned our dreams on to win the World Cup is left out for technical reasons, evidently issues exist," Cafu commented.
Is a Ronaldo-style comeback possible for Neymar?
Research from Datafolha found that Brazilians are split over whether Neymar should be included for his fourth World Cup.
With his record tally, Neymar is Brazil's historical leading marksman, but he hasn't helped his case much with his behaviour on the pitch either.
He seems greater frustration than normal, having argued with fans multiple times in stadiums - it happened in successive games in mid-year.
The following month, the forward was left in tears after Santos endured a 6-0 loss at home by Vasco da Gama - the worst result of his career.
When asked by a reporter about his fitness condition in a post-match interview, he also lost his patience: "Again with this, friend? I've responded to this 500 times already."
The similar query has been directed at his father and agent Neymar Sr as well.
"Neymar's intention was to remain for a limited period at Santos. To what end? To recover. If Neymar was able to feature, so be it," he previously explained, causing anger among supporters.
There's remaining optimism, however, that Neymar's best days aren't over and that he will be able to resurrect his form the same way forward Ronaldo "Phenomenon" did in 2002 to overcome criticism and injuries to guide Brazil to the World Cup title.
The former Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan legend notes similarities.
"He's a crucial player for Brazil - there's nobody like Neymar," Ronaldo stated during a recent appearance with the forward in Sao Paulo.
"It's an exaggeration from a small group who believe he's neglecting his fitness rehabilitation.
Anyone who have been in football recognize fully how difficult it is to recover from an injury and regain form and self-belief. He's moving forward."
The Santos star has a critical period ahead to prove that he's not the heir who relinquished his status.
