Neymar - the return of Brazil's forgotten hero

Neymar - the return of Brazil's forgotten heroImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Neymar played 20 minutes against Scotland in MiamiByScott MullenBBC Sport Scotland in Boston StadiumPublished2 minutes agoComments"Neymar needs no ulterior motivation. Everyone loves him here."If Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti needed any evidence to back up his statement in a makeshift Miami press room on Wednesday, he did not need to delve too deeply.Just a few hours earlier, in the stuffy and sticky area of Miami Gardens, any sign of the nation's forgotten prodigal son was met with hysteria. Pure and unadulterated fandom in all its blazing yellow glory.Almost three years had passed since Neymar last pulled on the shirt of his country. Now, in a World Cup where he is no longer Brazil's leading light, there was an opportunity. Injury had robbed him of so much. An anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus tear in a World Cup qualifier in October 2023 ruled the forward out of selection for so long, with a lack of game time as he recovered not helping.Now 34, his time in the international spotlight shone in Miami as Scotland withered in the stifling shade.Scotland's World Cup hopes on brink after 3-0 defeat by BrazilMiami Stadium has four screens which are probably viewable from the International Space Station. Commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov could probably hear the roar from his orbital perch as Neymar's name flashed up on it before this Group C finale. As Vinicius Jnr punished Scotland twice in the first half before Matheus Cunha slotted in a third, abrupt cheers exploded from the stands. Some for Haiti goals in Atlanta, but most were reserved for any sign of the Santos man.You can imagine the eruption as he shed his warm-up bib, took the short walk to the side of the park, and trotted on to replace Cunha."He had the opportunity to play, because I think he deserved to play. He trained and worked hard to recover, with professionalism," said...