'First player to work from home!' - Neymar the butt of joke from Brazil president after carrying injury into 2026 World Cup

Lula's 'home office' jibe

During a speech in Belo Horizonte, the Brazilian president engaged in a light-hearted exchange with a young fan about the state of the national team. When the child suggested that Neymar was the best player in the current Selecao setup, Lula was quick to point out the 34-year-old’s absence from the pitch due to his recent fitness struggles - as

Referencing a viral joke he had seen on social media, the president told the crowd: "I saw something yesterday, that Neymar is the first home office call-up in the world. Home office player. I saw that on the internet yesterday. I think any day now we're going to have to make a national team with artificial intelligence: 11 Peles."

Chasing fitness in North America

While Lula laughed at the expense of the Santos man, the reality for the Selecao has been a cautious wait for their former talisman. Neymar has been working around the clock to overcome a

The forward has recently been seen stepping up his rehabilitation on the grass in New Jersey, away from the main group. Despite the "home office" jokes from back home, the Brazilian medical staff have been fast-tracking his return to ensure he can play a part in the business end of the tournament as they hunt for an historic sixth world title.

Presidential history with Selecao stars

This is not the first time Lula has caused a stir with comments regarding the physical state of Brazil’s leading strikers. Back in 2006, during his first term in office, he famously questioned the fitness of legendary forward Ronaldo Nazario ahead of the World Cup in Germany, leading to a public back-and-forth between the politician and the 'Fenomeno'.

At the time, Lula asked coach Carlos Alberto Parreira: "Every now and then, I meet Ronaldo and I know he's thin. But every now and then we read in the Brazilian press that Ronaldo is fat. After all, is he fat or not fat?".

The remark did not sit well with Ronaldo, who famously retorted: "Everyone says that he [Lula] drinks a lot. Just as it is a lie that I am fat, it must be a lie that he drinks a lot."

Ancelotti provides return update

Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Neymar’s period of working in isolation is coming to an end. Following his team's 3-0 victory over Haiti, the Italian tactician provided the update fans have been waiting for, confirming that the veteran forward is finally ready to rejoin tactical sessions with the rest of the squad.

Ancelotti stated: "Neymar will be training tomorrow individually, and on Monday with the rest of the team. He will be available for the match against Scotland."

The return of the record goalscorer will be a significant boost for the Selecao as they look to secure their place in the knockout rounds and silence the critics who have questioned Neymar's availability.