As Ousmane Dembele was crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner in late September, Neymar was lying in bed undergoing treatment for his third injury of the year – while taking part in an online poker tournament.

The 33-year-old Brazilian ace ultimately finished as runner-up, earning around £73,800 in prize money.

It was some consolation on a day when he had to watch the player who once replaced him at Barcelona lift the award he had long hoped to win.

Since coming back to his boyhood club Santos in January, the 33-year-old forward has failed to live up to expectations, drawing more attention for episodes like this than for his football.

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 gone after frustrating spells with Paris St-Germain and Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia.

Instead, it has been widely disappointing for all parties involved.

Such is the situation that the main question being asked right now in Brazil is whether Neymar will make it to the 2026 World Cup.

He’s running out of time.

“Even the stars have to prove that they are fit. The clock is ticking [for him],” 1970 World Cup-winner Tostao wrote in his Folha de S Paulo newspaper column.

On Wednesday, Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti announced his squad for the upcoming games against South Korea and Japan and, once again, Neymar was not in it.

“The Prince”, as he was dubbed when welcomed back at Santos in a reference to the king Pele, is yet to play under Ancelotti, having been absent from the Selecao for two years. His last appearance was in the 2-0 defeat by Uruguay in October 2023.

He also remains an injury doubt for the November games, which, in the worst scenario, will leave him with only two friendly matches in March 2026 to prove himself to Ancelotti before the announcement of the final list for the World Cup.

“For 15 years, Neymar was Brazil’s undisputed star, carrying enormous expectations and responsibility on his own”, former AC Milan and Roma legend Cafu said.

“But no one wins the World Cup alone. Putting all our hopes on him at the moment is difficult because he struggles to even play three games in a row.”