Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, said he had to endure what he described as “ridiculous” criticism during his recovery from serious injuries, adding that he is satisfied with the effort he made to prove his fitness ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The Santos FC forward has not played for Brazil since 2023 due to injuries, including knee surgery that kept him sidelined for a year.

Speaking after Santos’ 3-0 defeat to Coritiba, Neymar said: “I’m in great physical condition and improving with every match. I gave everything I had, and it wasn’t easy.”

He added: “There were years of hard work, along with a lot of ridiculous talk about my condition and what I was doing. The way people speak about it is really sad.”

The Brazilian star said he worked quietly away from the spotlight to regain full fitness and expressed confidence that coach Carlo Ancelotti will select the best 26 players for the World Cup squad.